


Films and Flannels

by SamJoinedtheReconCorps



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: And they were project partners, Blood, Class Project, College AU, Drinking, Gifts, M/M, Project Partners, Protective!Shane, Slow Burn-ish, Supernatural Elements, jealous!Shane, medium-slow burn, more like a, oh my God they were project partners
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-29
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 23:00:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 32,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21607009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamJoinedtheReconCorps/pseuds/SamJoinedtheReconCorps
Summary: Shane and Ryan are working on a film project for class. While doing some research for their project, Ryan stumbles upon a few suspicious disappearances, and for some reason he can't let them go. Shane, ever the skeptic, tags along for the ride - what could go wrong?And lots of feelings ensue.
Relationships: Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 110
Kudos: 221





	1. Warmth Against the Chill

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: please forgive me, Father, for I have indulged in my vices. I’m so fucking sorry gang, I’ve been fighting the itch to write for them but I can’t man, I’m trash, but here, wallow in my garbage. All the love in the world for the BFU crew and all their loved ones, and please, Mr. Bergara and Mr. Madej, if you ever run into me on these mean streets of southern California, you both have my blessing in shooting me on sight. It’s what I deserve for finally opening this door, because I don’t think imma ever be able to shut it (Also the daddy thing kinda helped open up the door with a crowbar but that's beside the point)
> 
> Thanks to my best friends for making me get over some of my worries about posting this! I wouldn't have ever written anything for this if it wasn't for them, so yeah all of this wouldn't have been possible without their support!
> 
> Well, this is my first fic for this fandom, I really, really hope you guys like it!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan asks Shane to be his project partner, and a helping hand keeps Ryan's study space available at the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alrighty gang, so i deliberated whether or not i should include like super spoilery tags in the actual fic tags, but decided against it because like half of the fun ended up being like, figuring things out along the way while the boys worked on their project, but if you really need to know/want to know what the supernatural elements are, just jump on the chapter 7 real quick and look at the small author's notes at the end of that chapter, it gives the small spoiler as to what is being dealt with in the fic but try not to read the chapter or the other notes so you don't get anything else spoiled! I really hope you guys like this fic!!

“So you want our project to be a horror film?”

Ryan looked up as he zipped his backpack shut, hoisting it over his shoulder. “I mean, only if you’re cool with it.”

“Don’t see why not,” Shane shrugged. “I just thought that since you get spooked out so easily that you’d prefer something a little less,” he quirked an eyebrow at Ryan, “scary.”

“I don’t spook easily,” Ryan grumbled, ducking his head to hide the embarrassed blush that was starting to crawl up his neck. He walked past Shane, elbowing him in the ribs as he went.

Shane let out a quiet laugh, following Ryan out of their lecture hall. It was a cool October afternoon, the wind chillier than usual for LA. While autumn was already well under way everywhere else, southern California was usually still clinging to the last dregs of summer as November rolled around, so the drop in temperature was definitely unexpected.

Ryan shivered as they made their way across campus, immediately regretting his thin t-shirt as a breeze blew past them. Shane rolled his eyes, already knowing the drill.

“I don’t know why you don’t keep a hoodie in your backpack or something,” he sighed, already getting out of his flannel as he moved the strap of his laptop bag to his other shoulder to take it off completely, leaving him in just a plain black tee. He dropped it over Ryan’s head. “You know you’re a wimp when it comes to the cold.”

“It was super sunny this morning - how was I supposed to know it was going to get all cold,” Ryan quipped, pulling the flannel off his head.

“Even so,” Shane began, grabbing Ryan’s backpack as Ryan held it out to him so he could slip into Shane’s flannel quickly before taking his backpack and putting it on again. “Some of the lecture halls are fucking freezing. And,” Shane reminded him, “you’re always whining about how cold the library is, so you should really start carrying a jacket or a long sleeve with you.”

“God, but that’s just such a hassle,” Ryan sighed, rolling up Shane’s sleeves a little. “Besides, you’ve always got something on you that you let me borrow.”

“Only because I don’t want to hear you bitch about it,” Shane deadpanned. He glanced down at his friend, shaking his head in mock exasperation. “You’re just lucky that I run on the warmer side, anyway.”

“That’s only because you’re from Illinois,” Ryan shot back.

“Born and raised, baby,” Shane grinned.

“Don’t call me baby,” Ryan huffed, glaring up at him.

“And what can I say,” Shane continued without missing a beat, ignoring Ryan and wiggling his eyebrows at him, singing out, “ _The cold never bothered me anyway_.”

“Really, man? _Frozen_ in 2019?” Ryan laughed, smacking him on the arm, the glare falling apart in the crinkles around his eyes.

“It’s a classic,” Shane shrugged. "Besides, I gotta hype up _Frozen II: Electric Boogaloo._ "

Stifling a laugh, Ryan only shook his head, already starting to rattle off on 101 movies that _were_ classics, pulling Shane’s flannel tighter around himself whenever the wind blew a little stronger as they made their way to his dorm.

* * *

Ryan stared at his whiteboard proudly, excited and relieved to see their film theory project broken down into manageable chunks, their ideas about plot and where to film the shots written in under their respective sections. Seeing it all laid out helped put his anxiety to rest, at least for now, and let him get excited about the prospect of doing what he’s always loved to do - film and edit.

Shane had come up with plenty of ideas for scenes and setting, while Ryan came up with the bare bones of the message they wanted to get across - in essence, they had already created a general vibe they wanted for their short film, now they just had to hammer away at the plot and whatever characters that would create. And while it only had to be 30 minutes long, that just meant that whatever they made had to be absolutely airtight, so Ryan wanted to get started right away.

“We have the whole rest of the quarter, Ryan,” Shane sighed, watching as Ryan dug around his closet until he found a hoodie, pulling it on over his shirt. “We’re only a week in, we have time.”

“I just want to look around the archives, see if anything inspires me,” Ryan admitted. “I won’t be too long.”

“Right, ooookay,” Shane said, not believing him for a second. “You’re always there til closing, I’m surprised you haven’t gotten a key from one of the librarians yet.”

“There’s lots of cool stuff there,” Ryan shrugged. “Besides, can’t I be a good friend and walk my bestest friend part of the way home when it's already dark out?” he added, feigning innocence.

Shane rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle they stayed in his head. “Yeah, yeah, okay. We both know that you just want _me_ to walk _you_ to the library, Bergara. Someone’s gotta keep the ghosts away.”

“Not true,” Ryan scowled, already going to stand by the door.

“So are you saying that ghosts _aren’t_ real, and that I don’t have to keep them away?” Shane asked, getting up from Ryan’s desk chair.

“That’s not - you know that’s not what I said,” Ryan huffed. “I can take care of myself.”

“Mhmm,” Shane hummed, walking out of Ryan’s dorm and waiting for Ryan to lock up behind him, the two of them heading for the elevators. “I dunno how you’re even gonna make it back here in one piece with the boogeyman prowling around.”

“Shut up,” Ryan said, suppressing a smile and failing as he bumped his shoulder to Shane’s. Or, well, to Shane’s arm, since Ryan couldn’t exactly reach his shoulder. “I’ll get back fine.”

“And you better text me when you do,” Shane reminded him. “Gotta know if I have to come rescue you from Casper and co.”

They continued ribbing each other as they went, the walk to the library much shorter as they teased and roasted each other. It wasn’t long before Ryan was waving Shane off as he climbed the steps to get inside.

“I’m serious, though, text me!” Shane called out.

“You too, Sasquatch,” Ryan returned, giving him one last wave before ducking inside.

For once it was warmer in the library than it was outside, and it made Ryan breathe out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t wanted to complain about the cold as they’d walked, but he definitely knew that the hoodie he wore was definitely not going to cut it as the days got even colder. He walked past the welcome desk, nodding a greeting to the librarian as he weaved past bookshelves until he got to the employee elevator.

While he knew Shane was joking about getting a key from the librarians so that he could stay in as long as he wanted, Shane wasn’t entirely wrong; frequenting the library so often throughout his years of college had landed him a few perks, with one of them being that he had pretty much unrestricted access to the archives in the subterranean floor, where all of the oldest and most carefully stored pieces were. They had started to let him in during the spring, but now that fall had rolled around - in his senior year no less - he knew he’d be down there scouring for interesting resources and other nuggets of information as often as he could.

He punched in the code for the archives, the elevator doors sliding shut behind him. He felt the whoosh in his stomach as the elevator dropped two floors down, opening up to the stacks. There were books and boxes lining the aisles, some in clear ziplock bags and others just out as is. There was a strict no food or drink policy down there, just to make sure everything stayed in perfect condition - and while the rest of the library may have been warmer than outside, the archives were freezing. Something about climate control, reminding him of putting things in the freezer that you didn’t want to spoil.

Ryan could see a few other students in the archives, graduates most likely, as well as library staff. He found his way to his usual spot, tucked in the back corner behind boxes of Shakespeare and Dickens. His own materials were all still there from two nights ago, and he already knew who he had to thank.

“Didn’t know if you’d show tonight, I was getting worried I’d have to finally put all these things away,” someone said from behind him.

Speak of the devil, Ryan thought, turning around with a smile. “Hey, thanks man. It honestly saves me tons of time to not have to go looking for all this stuff again.”

“I know,” the man answered easily, crossing his arms as he leaned against the table. He was in another one of his perfectly tailored suits, this one grey, bringing out the chains he had around his neck. “You owe me, Bergara.”

“Yeah,” Ryan said feeling sheepish, knowing his friend had done this more times than he could count - which was astounding since Ryan had just gained access to the archives earlier that year. “I’ve already told you to just tell me what your favorite coffee is and I’ll bring it every single time I come down - and that’ll be pretty freaking often, Ricky.” He opened up the file he had been looking at, filled with newspaper clippings and released police reports of the disappearance of a local pastor’s son almost exactly 50 years ago - just two months shy of the anniversary.

Ricky Goldsworth cocked his head to the side, his smile looking almost fond. “I already told you, I’ve got a very particular taste.”

“That’s just code for ‘you’re too poor to afford what I like’,” Ryan mimed, sitting down in the chair, pulling his notepad closer to him as he started jotting down notes. “We get it, you’re rich.”

While Ricky didn’t laugh often, the sound now that filled their quiet corner of the stacks was rich and velvety, foreign to Ryan’s ears but so fitting to Ricky that it was never truly able to surprise him. “That’s not what I mean, and you know it. I’m just a picky eater, Ryan.” Ricky gave Ryan a pointed look. “And besides,” he nodded towards one of the signs on the wall, the pictures of different foods and various drink all crossed out by giant x’s, “nothing down here that can harm the goods.”

“Then what can I do?” Ryan asked, honestly wanting to do something to show how much he appreciated the help. His hands started absentmindedly fiddling with his necklace, the tiny yellow topaz that had been his good luck charm since high school calming his sudden nerves.

Ricky put a finger to his lips, pretending to think before he turned his gaze back to Ryan, a grin spreading across his face as he tracked the movements of Ryan’s fingers. “Let me take you out some time - to a place we’ll both like.”

Without meaning to, Ryan felt the tips of his ears grow pink. “I mean, we’ve tried to make plans but you’re always working - or, or you have class,” Ryan deflected.

“That’s true,” Ricky admitted, some of the shine in his smile fading at that. “But we’ll find some time that works for both of us,” Ricky bounced back. “Once winter break starts and finals are all done, I’m sure both our calendars will be open at least for a few days.”

“Yeah,” Ryan got out, his smile this time just a tiny bit forced. “We’ll do something then.” He really hoped Ricky didn’t notice. His phone buzzed just then, giving Ryan an excuse to look away from Ricky’s intense stare. He glanced down, seeing a text light up his screen.

**Big Head: hoooooome**

Ryan swiped his phone open, quickly shooting back **about time**.

 **don’t stay up too late** Shane answered a second later.

Before Ryan had a chance to send another text, Ricky cleared his throat.

“I’ll leave you to your research then,” he said, his expression a little less friendly than it had been before, clearly not liking Ryan’s divided attention.

Ryan put his phone down, giving Ricky as grateful a smile as he could muster. “I’ll see you around.”

And with that Ricky gave him one last clipped smile, sweeping around a shelf of books, and leaving Ryan to his devices, only letting himself get interrupted by the constant buzzing of his phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yuuuuh so Ricky and Ryan are two separate people in this, and I mean it felt weird as hell when I first planned it out but like bear with me gang, I don’t know enough about Buzzfeed to even think about bringing in other people, so like y’know, Mr Goldsworth it is. And he's also hella fun to write about
> 
> I have no idea how film theory classes work, Idk how UCLA’s campus is, or what jargon they have for their library and all that jazz, so y’know, that’s all extrapolations from what I loosely imagine it's like based on my own college experience
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading! I really hope you guys liked it! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated they give me life!


	2. The Case Beckons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan's got his hands on a case, and while Shane seems skeptical Ryan isn't deterred in making him come around. Library research ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here I am, struggling against the consumption (mild cold) that has crippled me (made me miserable for the past few days) just to get out this next chapter. This is all for you, loves
> 
> but forreal, I really hope you guys like this as I'm highkey fighting off a cold just to pump this out before I head back to college! Thank you guys so much for reading the first chapter, and I really hope you guys like it!

Ryan spent almost all weekend holed up in the stacks, only coming out whenever Shane coaxed him with promises of Chipotle and In n Out. Tonight they were meeting in the local diner that was still open at 4 in the damn morning, and Ryan came in like a whirlwind.

“I know what we should make our project about,” he said in a rush, sliding into the seat across from Shane. His chest was heaving, his cheeks tinged pink from the bite of the wind - almost as if he’d been running.

Shane blinked at him blearily, focusing his sleepy eyes on his best friend. “Is this why you called me at this ungodly hour and had me meet you here?”

“Yeah, I-” Ryan paused, noticing how dark it was outside, past the fluorescent lights of the diner, and deflating slightly, realizing just how late it was. “I’m sorry,” he quietly got out, his gaze dropping to the red tabletop. “I - fuck, I should have just waited until I saw you in class tomorrow, I was just so excited -”

“No time for regrets now, Bergara,” Shane yawned, pulling off his beanie and running his fingers through his hair before he pulled it back on again.

Ryan tracked the movement, watched the way his long fingers disappeared into his mess of dark hair, suppressing the urge to jump when Shane’s eyes met his. He looked away again. 

Shane sighed, reaching over and poking Ryan’s hand where it was sitting on the table. “Don’t get like that on me now - you were dying to tell me everything you had found when you called me twenty minutes ago, you can’t just leave me out to dry when you’ve gotten me all curious.”

Peeking over at him, Ryan saw that while Shane did look sleepy and tired, he had that mischievous look in his eye, the encouraging smile that coaxed Ryan to him the way the promise of warm food drew him out of the library.

“Well, I -” he started, right as the waitress came up to their table, setting two mugs of coffee down in front of them.

“Ready to order, hun?” she smiled, looking between the two of them.

“I am,” Shane answered, looking over at Ryan, his way to tell him that he had exactly 30 seconds to figure out what he was going to eat. “I’ll have the steak and eggs,” he told her with a smile.

Ryan looked over the tiny menu that was sitting by the napkin holder, the one that held the seasonal specials, searching for something quickly that he figured he’d like.

“Oookay,” the waitress said, writing it down on the small notepad she had. “How would you like those cooked?” she followed up, still looking at Shane even as she turned to Ryan.

“Blue and scrambled,” Shane answered matter-of-factly. Ryan flipped the menu around, scanning the options.

“And for you, sweetheart?” she asked, now looking at Ryan.

“I’ll have the, ah,” Ryan zeroed in on a pile of pancakes with hash browns. “I’ll have,” he pulled the menu closer as he read out the name on the menu, “the Boo-berry pancake combo.”

“Of course, those are a hit this time of year,” she grinned, finishing with her notepad as she tucked her pen behind her ear. “They should be out in a minute.”

Shane nodded his thanks as the waitress walked off to give their orders to the kitchen staff, catching Ryan looking at him. Shane knew exactly what Ryan was saying with that look. “I beat you here by like five minutes, of course I ordered coffee for us.” He clinked his mug to Ryan’s as he picked it up, giving him a wink. “And I’ll have you know that I got what you like.”

“You could have given me a heads up,” Ryan grumbled, picking up his own mug. “I didn’t even know what to get.”

“But you did great, Ry,” Shane said. “Boo-berry pancakes for the Boogara.”

Ryan rolled his eyes, taking a sip from his coffee. The taste of caramel flooded his senses, warming him up as it went down. He hummed appreciatively, not realizing how cold he’d been until he could feel the warmth of the coffee spreading through him.

“Good, right?” Shane grinned, clearly having heard Ryan.

“It's not that hard to get me something I like,” Ryan countered. “All it has to be is not bitter.”

Shane shook his head. “Not true, you definitely have favorite flavors, with caramel being your number one - you told me about it during your whole drunken ghost rant during winter finals freshmen year, so I know for a fact that you have a stronger opinion than just ‘not bitter’.”

Ryan dropped his head onto the tabletop with a groan. “When will you ever let that go.”

“Never, I think,” Shane answered easily. “You were  _ gone _ , man. Just going on and on about ghosts and mothman and unsolved mysteries and aliens - which was my favorite part by the way.”

“For someone who doesn’t believe in any of it, I’m surprised I didn’t scare you away with that,” Ryan mumbled into his arms.

“You know I’m not scared of nothin’,” Shane drawled in a terrible southern accent. It had the intended effect, making Ryan laugh where he was still hiding his face. “Besides, you’re my best friend, Ryan. That just sealed the deal honestly - you’re not getting rid of me until I prove that none of that is real.”

“That’s never going to happen,” Ryan shot back, finally coming out to look at him.

“Then I guess you’re never getting rid of me,” Shane answered, leaning his head on his hand, his smirk still on his face.

“Never?” Ryan asked, feeling his throat grow dry around the word, his voice coming out quieter than it’d been.

Shane’s expression softened, his eyes on Ryan. “Never,” he repeated, voice uncharacteristically gentle.

They stared at each other, Ryan suddenly feeling like a deer in headlights. Shane seemed caught in a similar trance, and Ryan swore they leaned closer despite the table, when a loud clatter from inside the kitchen made them both jump in their seats.

“Fuck -” someone swore before dissolving into more cursing.

Ryan sat back, taking another drink and avoiding Shane’s gaze. He felt warmer than he had, but now for a completely different reason.

“So, uh, what’re we making the project about?” Shane asked, clearing his throat before also taking a sip from his coffee.

“Oh, yeah!” Ryan remembered, surprised he had even forgotten at all. He tried to shake the clinging warmth that was caught between his chest and his throat, knowing that was the exact reason why all his other thoughts had gone out the window. “Okay, so, I’m thinking we should do it on unsolved disappearances.”

Shane raised an interested eyebrow, clearly curious. “Unsolved disappearances,” he mused. “Seems promising.”

“It is,” Ryan assured, opening up his backpack and pulling out his notebook. He flipped it open to a page filled with notes, his messy scrawl tiny and rushed, his writing struggling to keep up with his ideas. “So, I was just looking at old case files, things from at least 30-ish years ago, because I mean, I didn’t want to do anything too recent, that seemed a little insensitive -”

“That seems about a good time frame,” Shane nodded.

“- and well, I found this case about this kid that’d gone missing fifty years ago,” he continued, sliding his phone across the table to Shane along with his notebook. He had pictures of the newspaper clippings so Shane could skim through them.

“This just seems like a pretty standard disappearance to me,” Shane shrugged, looking up at Ryan. “I mean, it gives us plenty of wiggle room to come up with a story, so that’s a plus.”

Ryan leaned over the table, zooming in on a part of the article on his phone. “They said he got really into like, the supernatural and,” he quoted, “‘the occult’ in the weeks before he disappeared.”

Shane gave Ryan a quizzical look before he slipped into a teasing smile. “You saying the ghouls got ‘im?”

“No, I -” Ryan started, letting out an annoyed huff as he swiped to another picture on his phone, turning to his next page of notes in his notebook. “Look, this is another case, same stuff, everything was normal with the kid up until a few weeks before he disappeared, when he got all into the supernatural.”

“So, they both joined the same cult together,” Shane shrugged. “They needed a cult-buddy.”

“Sh _ ane _ ,” Ryan whined. “I’m not messing around.”

“Ry _ an _ ,” Shane mimicked. “Neither am I.”

“Okay, that’s not what I’m suggesting since the first one I told you about was from 50 years ago, and this one is from almost a century ago,” Ryan informed him.

Even though Shane didn’t say anything, Ryan could see that he was fighting with himself to keep from asking Ryan what he really thought. He clearly lost that battle. “And you think this means...what exactly?”

“Well, since there’s also another case from a 150 years ago and another from 200 years ago,” he scrolled past two pictures of weathered newspaper clippings and flipped to another pages of his notes, “I think they’re all connected.”

“How can they be connected over that long a time?” Shane deadpanned. Realization dawned on him. “Oh my God, you  _ do _ think ghouls got them -”

“Aaaand here are your orders boys,” the waitress sang, sweeping in with a giant tray balanced with one hand. “Here’s your steak and eggs,” she said, setting the plate in front of Shane, then she turned to Ryan, “and here are your boo-berry pancakes.”

“Thank you,” both boys said in unison, making the waitress laugh.

She set a bottle of syrup down beside Ryan’s pancakes and hash browns. “Need a refill on coffee, dears?”

Shane stared down at his half empty mug, noticing that Ryan was almost out of coffee too. “Yes, please,” he nodded. He gestured at Ryan, “Caramel for him, though, if you please.”

“‘Course, hun,” she smiled. “Be right back with that.”

As she walked away, Shane turned back to Ryan, their interrupted conversation not at all forgotten. “You think ghouls got them?” he repeated.

“No,” Ryan answered, exasperation in his voice. “Not ghouls. But, I mean,” he was hesitating, knowing that Shane was definitely not going to believe him, “maybe something supernatural did get them?”

Shane watched Ryan intently, searching his face. He sighed, picking up his knife and fork, spearing into his steak before he finally said, “You’re serious?”

“Yes?” Ryan got out, because he wasn’t sure how to get out further than that.

The waitress came back, refilling their coffees with a smile. The boys thanked her again as she left, Ryan quietly picking at his food before Shane let out a long, drawn out sigh.

“You know I don’t believe in this kind of stuff -” he began, and Ryan shoved a forkful of pancake in his mouth to keep himself from saying anything back, “but sure, okay, we can work with this.”

Ryan almost choked. He swallowed hard, feeling the way the bit of pancake caught before going down, coughing for a second before he wheezed, “Are you forreal?”

“100% forreal, unlike ghosts and ghouls and whatever you believe in,” Shane shot back.

Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, Ryan barreled on, “So we can look into these cases and make our project on them?”

“We can make our project on them,” Shane accepted, “but I don’t think we need to ‘look into these cases’, Ry. We’ve got what we need to make a plot outta that.”

A frown tugged on Ryan’s lips, but he tried to hide it behind his mug as he downed more coffee.

“You want to figure out what happened to these people, don’t you,” Shane deadpanned, not even bothering to phrase it like a question.

“No,” Ryan denied, avoiding Shane’s gaze. He could only manage to do it for all of three seconds. “Yes,” he admitted under his breath.

Shane got that look on his face again, the half-frown of a losing battle. “We’re not going to find anything,” Shane told him.

Ryan didn’t miss the way Shane said “we” rather than “you”. “I don’t know, man,” Ryan said, an excited smile spreading across his face. “I do have a few theories.”

He set out to explain the bits and pieces he had read and what he’d made of them while they finished eating, and once the waitress had come to gather their plates and Shane had paid their check and left a generous tip - because of course Ryan had forgotten his wallet in his dorm - Shane merely shrugged again, “We’re not going to find anything.” He was wearing a smile similar to Ryan’s though, Ryan’s excitement infectious and giddy, “but there’s only one thing we can do now, I guess, and I didn’t think I’d ever say this: onward, to the library!”

“Library’s closed,” Ryan told him as they walked out, laughing at the ridiculous stance Shane had taken when he’d exclaimed their next course of action.

Shane didn’t miss a beat, once again pumping a fist in the air and announcing, “To the library, later!”

And it hit Ryan all over again that it was technically Monday morning - and to make matters worse, he could see the first few rays of sunrise lightening the horizon. He glanced over at Shane. “Wanna head back to my dorm and sleep a bit before class?”

“I was gonna do that e-even if you didn’t invite me,” Shane said, a yawn breaking his sentence in half. The coffee had not worked to keep his sleepiness at bay, and Ryan could feel himself going through a similar crash.

“Let’s try to beat the sun then, or else I might not be able to sleep at all,” he told him, already leading the way back to his dorm, with Shane following without complaint.

* * *

“So this is where you lose yourself whenever I’m not with you?” Shane whispered as they made their way through the stacks that night.

“Yeah, I guess,” Ryan shrugged, walking towards the back corner where he always worked. “All the interesting stuff’s down here, and there’s also less people - so it's nice.”

Shane nodded, putting his laptop bag and his coffee down, but hesitating to sit when he saw all the papers on the table. “Isn’t someone already using this?”

Ryan glanced up from where he had already taken a seat. “Oh, this? This is all my stuff, a friend of mine has been doing me a favor and basically keeping this spot on reserve for me.”

“And a definite saint this friend has been, wouldn’t you agree, Ryan?” Ricky preened, gliding into their small space a few steps behind Shane.

“Speaking of which - this is him,” Ryan smiled, gesturing to him. “Shane, this is Ricky,” he introduced as Shane turned around. “Ricky, Shane.”

“Pleasure to meet you Mr. Library Ma-” Shane began, outstretching his hand to shake Ricky’s, when he froze, stiffening where he stood.

Ricky stared up at him, and something imperceptible hardened in his gaze. Ryan couldn’t see Shane’s face, but he could feel the suffocating tension that had suddenly flooded the room.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Ricky grinned, taking Shane’s hand and shaking it vigorously, both of them putting more force than necessary behind the gesture. The tension bled away, Ricky looking suave and collected and Shane’s posture relaxing. “But that does need to get thrown out,” Ricky added when they let go, pointing at Shane’s Starbucks.

“Oh, right, of course,” Shane nodded, picking up the coffee. “My bad - uh, Ryan, could you show me where the trash is?” he asked, turning to Ryan with an almost pleading expression on his face.

“Yeah, of course -” Ryan started, getting up from his seat when Ricky simply waved at Ryan to stay put. Ryan immediately sat back down.

“I can go throw this out, you two can just stay right here and get on with your research,” Ricky said, holding his hand out to Shane.

Shane’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but with a blink the look was gone as he gave the cup to Ricky. His hand twitched in the hand off, as he coughed out a quiet, “Thanks, man.”

“Not a problem, anything for sweet, little Ryan’s friends,” Ricky drawled, turning his gaze to Ryan. He gave him a salute, his rings glittering under the dim archive lights.

Ryan felt heat rise in his cheeks as he ducked his head as he squeaked out, “Thanks, Ricky.”

And with that Ricky sauntered off, with Shane watching him go until he was finally out of sight. Then he turned to Ryan. “I don’t like him.”

“What - you don’t - Shane, all he did was tell you you couldn’t have coffee down here, and that was honestly my bad for not telling you before we even came down,” Ryan rushed out defensively. “He’s just doing his job.”

“That’s not why I don’t like him,” Shane sighed. He watched Ryan carefully, leaning closer over the table as he did so. “Wait, are you - you’re blushing.”

“No I’m fucking not,” Ryan shot back, pulling up some of the loose pieces of paper and holding them up in front of his face to hide what was very clearly a blush.

Shane reached over and pushed the papers out of the way.

“Hey, be careful - these are old!” Ryan huffed, fiddling with his little topaz with his free hand as he averted Shane’s gaze now that he couldn’t hide behind the papers anymore.

“Do you  _ like  _ this guy?” Shane asked, exasperation clear in his tone.

“What - no! No, no, no, no, no,” Ryan vehemently assured him. “I do  _ not _ like Ricky like that.”

“But you do like him,” Shane pressed, pinning Ryan with how intense his eyes were.

“Not like that!” Ryan repeated, louder than he’d intended. He quickly lowered his voice, “He’s just a friend, and I mean I think he might like me but I do not like him like that - I only like him as a friend.”

Shane leaned back, folding his arms across his chest, his eyes never leaving Ryan’s. His eyes crinkled around the corners as a teasing smile slid onto his face. “Damn, and here I thought I could tease you about having a crush on the librarian.”

“Well you can’t,” Ryan muttered, putting the papers back over his face again and this time trying to read them. “We’re just friends, I don’t like him like that.”

While it seemed like Shane wanted to prod the subject more, he dropped it, pulling a pile of articles closer to him as he began to read too. Ryan was glad that he did.

“Ry?” Shane ventured a few minutes later, when both of them had been reading and researching quietly.

Ryan looked up from his notes, pen hovering over his notepad.

“If he ever,” Shane bit the inside of his cheek, trying to find the right words. “If he ever tries anything with you - anything weird, just let me know, okay?”

Even though he wanted to make a joke, wanted to tease Shane right back for worrying about him, the look on Shane’s face made the joke die in his throat. It made Ryan’s pulse race. “Okay,” Ryan said, the word barely more than a whisper.

Shane nodded, picking up his own pen and going back to his notes, leaving Ryan to ignore the nervous jitters of his stomach as he followed Shane’s lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryan, finding the disappearances and holding the newspaper clippings to his chest: i'm back on my bullshit  
> Shane, reaching over and taking Ryan's hand: no, WE're back on our bullshit
> 
> Also, love me some jealous!Shane and its only made better with a sprinkling of protective!Shane like that is my JAM (but also like the testosterone in that corner of the library must have been through the roof with these fucks being all aggressive-polite)
> 
> I really hope you guys liked it, and I hope I can get back with chapter 3 soon! Also, if y'all have got any theories drop by in the comments and let me know! I love reading what you all think :))
> 
> also, also, I will definitely have a trigger warning on (maybe) two chapters down the line for like, graphic violence, but i'll definitely have those in my notes so people can skip/avoid that if its not their cup of tea
> 
> anyway, once again thank you so much for reading! I love you guys! I hope you're having a lovely start to your December!


	3. Fun Days and Horror Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane manages to convince Ryan to take a break from all his research.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Hamilton soundtrack noises* take a break and get awaaaaay
> 
> well, what can I say, thank you guys so much for the comments and kudos I've gotten so far! Definitely keep them coming please they make me so happy! I really hope you guys like this chapter, it was lots of fun to work on!

The rest of the week went by like it usually did, with class and a few odd shifts at the campus bookstore and the nightly library routine - with the only difference being that now Shane was tagging along with Ryan. No matter the time or when they finally got done, Shane was now as constant a presence at the library as Ryan was.

Shane’s research was still focused on locations and settings, but now he was looking into the places where the victims were last seen and the unusual places they frequented before they went missing. He had about a half dozen places that he was looking into, buildings that he was searching on google maps to make sure they even still existed and, if they didn’t, looking for the closest visual approximation they could find.

Ryan’s work was now focused on plot. He figured that they could leave the Creature - as he’d taken to calling it - ambiguous enough that they never had to really show it on screen. They didn’t have the time or the budget to create something scary yet still visually appealing, so they weren’t going to bother with that. He had also gotten his friend Eugene to agree to be in it, which was a major plus. Ryan honestly felt like they were ahead of schedule, and it felt great.

There was a knock at his door, probably Shane swinging by before they headed to the library. “Gimme a second,” Ryan called out, throwing on a hoodie over his tank top. “I don’t know why I even gave you a key if you’re just going to -” he complained, opening the door and coming face to face with not Shane. “Ricky?”

“Of course,” Ricky smiled, giving a short half bow. “Were you expecting someone else?”

“Yeah, I mean - nevermind, Ricky, what, how - how did you get here?” Ryan blurted out.

“I walked,” Ricky answered, raising an eyebrow. “You forgot your theory notebook at the library, and I thought you would need it for homework.” He pulled it out, holding it out to Ryan.

“Oh, this - ah, thanks,” he got out, taking the notebook from him. “But how did you find out where I live?” he asked again.

Ricky cocked his head to the side, fixing Ryan with an amused look. His eyes were dark, but they had a draw to them, something that made Ryan want to get closer. “Why, you told me, Ryan. Don’t you remember?”

Ryan hesitated, unsure of what Ricky was talking about before he nodded. “Yeah, right, sure, yeah - yeah, I told you. Thanks again, man, you didn’t have to come all this way to bring it.”

“I thought I might as well walk you to the library since my shift starts a little later today,” Ricky shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. “Give us a little time to hang out before you hit the archives.”

“Well, Shane’s coming with me again too, so, I was waiting for him,” Ryan explained. He leaned against the door frame, hesitantly opening his door a little wider. Ricky leaned forward, excited anticipation in his eyes. “But if you want -”

“Hey buddy, I didn’t know you were going to have another friend over,” Shane chimed in, rounding a corner and striding up to the pair. He squeezed his way past Ricky, moving to stand beside Ryan at the door, taking up the rest of the doorway. “Ricky, man, I didn’t know you knew where Ryan lived.”

“He told me,” Ricky answered with a shrug.

“I told him,” Ryan repeated with a dazed nod.

“Like I was telling Ryan,” Ricky continued, turning cold eyes to Shane, “I was thinking about walking him - or well, you guys - to the library tonight before my shift, since I was just bringing back something Ryan forgot last night in the stacks. So, whenever you’re ready, we can just g-”

“We’re taking a break from the library tonight, but thanks,” Shane interrupted, herding Ryan back into his room with an arm out in front of him as he stepped back. “But thanks for dropping it off. Bye now, you wouldn’t want to be late to work,” he finished, slamming the door in Ricky’s face.

Ryan jumped, the noise startling him. He blinked rapidly, looking at the door then back at Shane. It took him a few more seconds of staring between the two before his brain seemed to catch up. “Shane, that was rude!”

“He needs to get on to work,” Shane shrugged, dropping his duffle to the ground.

“Yeah, and he was going to walk us there - we’re all going to the same place, might as well just head on over together,” Ryan told him, moving to walk around Shane and catch up to Ricky.

Shane stepped in front of Ryan, blocking the door. “No siree, we’re taking a break.”

“What? What do you mean we’re taking a break?” Ryan asked, crossing his arms and giving Shane what he hoped was an intimidating glare.

“It means exactly what it sounds, we’re taking a break,” Shane answered, completely unfazed by Ryan’s glare. “We’re going to watch some movies, order a few pizzas, and just relax this weekend.”

That’s when Ryan noticed the duffle bag laying beside Shane. “Wait, are you staying the whole weekend?”

For once Shane actually looked unsure. “I mean, yeah, I was planning on just having a sleepover weekend since we’ve already got plans for tomorrow.” He rubbed at his wrist sheepishly as he looked away, “Sorry, man, I shouldn’t have just assumed - I can go, I’ll just -” he leaned down to grab the duffle, but Ryan was faster.

He kicked it away, sending it sliding towards the wall. “None of that shit, Madej, you know you can stay here whenever. Now quit looking like a kicked puppy, you’re making me sad.”

Shane gave him a small smile, his unease disappearing. “Look, bud, I just don’t want you to burn out, okay? Let’s take a few days. We can get back to working on this Tuesday night. Besides, we’re already not going to work on it tomorrow, so waiting til Tuesday’s not going to be a huge set back.”

“Til Tuesday!” Ryan exclaimed. “But that’s four days that we’ll be doing nothing!”

“We’ll be resting and recharging, and doing homework for other classes, mind you,” Shane reminded him. “Now, c’mon, promise me we’ll start working on this again on Tuesday night? Promise me that we’re gonna leave it be for a few days and just unwind from this?”

Ryan didn’t seem at all convinced. “Can it just be til Sunday?”

“Nope,” Shane said, popping the “p” loudly. “Either til Tuesday or you’ll be going to the horror nights on your own tomorrow.”

“That’s a low blow,” Ryan quipped, but he’d gotten a little pale. The threat was definitely working.

“I’ve gotta use low blows when you’re so short,” Shane teased, earning him a smack on the arm as he laughed at his own joke.

Ryan sat down on his bed as Shane flopped down beside him. “You have til tomorrow to convince me,” Ryan announced, finding that to be a good enough compromise.

Shane grinned up at him. “I’m sure I can find plenty of ways to convince you.”

And the way he said that, with that look in his eyes, and his long arms stretched out on the bed,  _ his  _ bed, Ryan couldn’t help but admit that there were  _ plenty _ of ways Shane could convince him to do anything. Instead he said, “Pizza’s on you.”

“When aren’t I the one paying,” Shane sighed dramatically, turning over as he fished his phone out of his pocket and giving Ryan a chance to hide the blush that was dusting his face.

* * *

The night and most of the next day went by in a blur of shitty jokes and fast food before they knew it they were standing outside of Universal Studios, the screams and chainsaws and the eerie  _ Us _ soundtrack cutting through the air.

“So, you ready to promise we’re taking a break until Tuesday night?” Shane asked, hands in his hoodie pocket as he looked over all the turnstiles crammed with Horror Nights attendees. They’d just gotten past the metal detectors, and now there was only one final barrier between them and one hell of a night.

“I - look, that just seems like too much time, man,” Ryan rationalized. “Besides, you’re already here, and I drove us here, so it's not like you can just leave.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound like a promise at all,” Shane hummed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, bringing up the Uber app. “Guess I’ll just have to get a ride back.”

Ryan blanched, clutching onto his little topaz tightly, as if that would protect him from whatever was inside. “You wouldn’t - the ride’s gonna be super expensive.”

“Looks like it's a gamble you’re gonna lose,” Shane shrugged, exaggeratedly putting in his apartment address and leaving his finger to hover over the  _ request ride _ button. “So, is that a promise or,” he turned wide eyes to the entrance of the park just as a particularly high pitched shriek rang out.

All the fight went out of Ryan at that. “It’s a promise,” he said quietly.

“What was that?” Shane asked, clicking off his phone.

“It's a promise,” Ryan repeated, louder this time. He glared at Shane. “You’re not complaining about any of the mazes.”

Shane mimed zipping his lips shut. “Not a peep.”

They walked into the park after getting their tickets scanned, and it took Ryan about 20 seconds before he was jumping and shouting at the scare actors that roamed the park, getting into people’s faces in the fright zones and chasing them around. Shane laughed when one that looked like Momo came right for Ryan, making him jump almost three feet in the air before he darted through the crowd, dodging past the huge things on stilts until he came to stand in front of the Jabbawockeez show. Shane had been able to track him easily and caught up to him quickly.

The rest of the night was pretty much that - Ryan screaming and running off ahead while Shane stifled a laugh and followed along. It wasn’t until they got into the  _ Us _ maze that the possibility of Ryan just passing out from fear might actually happen.

“I don’t like this,” Ryan whined as they stepped beneath the VISION QUEST: FIND YOURSELF sign that hung above the entrance.

“And here I thought that I was the one that was going to be complaining,” Shane teased, sticking close to Ryan. Even though their proximity never seemed to last as Ryan always ran away, Shane knew that having him close helped ease Ryan’s nerves, at least a bit.

They walked through the first little partition without much happening - Ryan only startled slightly when one of the “mannequins” on the wall moved - but when they got to the next section, when one of the tethered started slamming on the window, Ryan swore, turning back and running right into Shane.

“Whoa there, little guy,” Shane said, putting his hands on Ryan’s shoulders to steady him. “Just a kid with a mask, nothing too bad.”

“I know but - fuck man, this movie was  _ good _ \- it was scary!” Ryan rushed, and he wasn’t wrong, it had been scary, even Shane had to admit that. He knew that after all the other mazes that night, Ryan’s shot nerves were definitely not going to make it.

“Look, how about this,” Shane started, reaching down and taking Ryan’s hand in his. He tried to ignore the way his stomach flipped, knowing it had nothing to do with the horror maze they were in. “You can keep your eyes closed and I’ll get us out of here.”

“Wait - man, did you burn your hand?” Ryan asked, completely thrown by the feeling of the rough texture of the burn on his fingers and how it contrasted against his calloused yet soft skin.

“Got it at work,” Shane explained quickly, tugging on Ryan’s hand and reminding him exactly where they were.

Ryan looked a little hesitant as Shane pulled them into the next section, and when the door started shaking and another scare actor tore through with a shout Ryan screamed and hid his face against Shane, squeezing his hand while his other hand came to wrap around Shane’s arm. “Okay, maybe, yeah, please get us out of here.”

Shane shook his head, not able to hide his smile. He squared his shoulders. “Alright, ghouls, I ain’t scared of you!”

“Shut up,” Ryan hissed, smacking his arm. “Don’t say shit like that!”

“They can’t touch us, Ryan, it’s fine,” Shane shrugged, leading them deeper and deeper into the maze.

There were more scare actors that shouted and screamed, making Ryan jump and shout with a start, but they eventually made it out of the maze, the adrenaline fading and the cool night air nipping at their face.

“See, wasn’t so bad,” Shane said as they walked back towards the rest of the park.

“No, not so bad,” Ryan agreed, swinging their joined hands between them. That’s when he realized they were still holding hands; he dropped them quickly, giving a half cough as an excuse for why he let go before he shoved his hands in his pockets.

Shane pulled his hand back slowly before doing the same, avoiding Ryan’s gaze as they walked up the steps.

“That was the last maze, right?” Ryan asked after what felt like an eternity of silence.

“Yeah, I think so,” Shane answered carefully. “Time to head out?”

Ryan nodded, checking his phone. “It’s about to close anyway, so I’m ready to call this a great success that we got to go through all the mazes.”

“Does that last one count since you had your eyes closed the whole time?” Shane got out, tapping a finger to his lips as if he were in deep thought.

“Uh, yeah - I still had to go through it, still had to listen to all that creepy stuff!” Ryan shot back. “We definitely went through all of them.”

“If it's what helps you sleep at night,” Shane said with a grin. “Let’s go.”

They made their way back to the entrance, Ryan slowing down all the while and coming to a stop before they reached the last park street that would take them out of Universal Studios.

“Hey, bud, you good there?” Shane asked, looking back at Ryan who was staring ahead with fear written all over his face.

“What if we, uh - what if we cut through the gift shop?” Ryan suggested, looking up at Shane.

“But then we’d be missing the fright zone,” Shane pouted, pointing in the direction they were heading, pointing at the things on stilts and the clowns with chainsaws.

“Shane,” Ryan pleaded, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him toward the gift shop. “Please?”

The way he said his name and the way he held onto him would have made Shane agree to anything. “Yeah, yeah, alright. You win, little guy.”

Ryan let out a breath of relief as they stepped into the gift shop, the loud dubstep that was playing outside getting muffled inside the store. They walked all the way through it, peeking out at the fright zone through the open entrances all down the street, until they got to the last one. Shane was already heading towards the exit turnstiles when Ryan tugged on his sweater sleeve.

“What are they doing?” he asked, pointing at the scare actors. All of the people in clown masks with chainsaws had gotten into a line down the street, unmoving. Ryan crept closer, trying to get a better look.

Shane put a hand out in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“Don’t tell me you’re scared,” Ryan quipped, his first confident smile of the night coming across his face.

Even though he could have just lied and agreed, just to get Ryan to follow him and get them out of the park, Shane knew that Ryan would just get even more scared with that knowledge, so instead Shane just shrugged. “Your funeral.”

Although Ryan’s smile faltered a little, it was still there when they got a little closer to the line of clowns. The music was still blaring, much louder, the music growing in pitch and volume.

Shane knew exactly what was going to happen. Ryan definitely didn’t.

Right when the bass dropped, the clowns charged.

They revved their chainsaws, chasing people all over the street. Everyone who’d been dumb enough to get right up close were the first to get chased - thankfully Shane’s hesitation had kept them a little away from all of that, but as soon as the bass dropped Ryan backtracked quickly, dragging Shane right back into the gift shop.

“We’re good in here, right, they can’t come in here?” he asked breathlessly.

“Yeah, we’re good in here,” Shane assured him, and they watched the chaos outside as people ran away.

Then, a clown came into the shop and Ryan almost climbed up Shane’s back to get away.

“Ryan, whoa, it’s fine, look he’s already gone,” Shane told him as Ryan cowered behind him, holding onto his arm tight enough that Shane worried he might lose circulation.

“Let’s just go, man,” Ryan whimpered, and Shane let out a sigh as he led them out of the shop, ushering Ryan ahead of him so that he could be between Ryan and the clowns. He fully expected Ryan to start running for the exit as soon as the coast was clear, but instead Ryan’s hand slid down his arm until their fingers interlaced, tugging him to walk faster until they were both clamoring to get through the turnstiles.

“Aaand we’re safe,” Shane sang, fully expecting Ryan to let go of his hand.

“I never want to do that again,” Ryan huffed, running his free hand through his hair.

“So, next year?” Shane prodded.

“Of course,” Ryan answered without missing a beat. “And I’m going to be a lot less scared than I was this year.”

“Pft, okay, I’ll believe it when I see it,” Shane said, shaking his head as he let out a small laugh. Ryan pouted, hitting him with a comeback that had him wheezing. They didn’t stop holding hands until they got to Ryan’s car, making the night feel less cold than it had earlier.

* * *

The next morning they slept in until late - so late that it was already afternoon by the time Ryan rolled out of bed. Shane had already been up for a few hours, just quietly doing homework and reading.

Ryan watched him as he worked at his desk, brows furrowed in concentration as he bit his pen cap, his hair sticking out every which way, still messy from sleep. He tapped his fingers against the desk, humming a little tune under his breath, and it was something so uniquely Shane that Ryan felt his heart slam into his throat. He could feel it, feel words and feelings threatening to break through his closed mouth, threatening to spill over and fill the quiet with everything he’d been feeling as of late. He wanted to make fun of Shane while also pulling him into a hug - wanted to tell him how much he liked and appreciated everything about him while also calling him a dumbass. He wanted to look at his stupid face and memorize it, memorize the curve of his jaw and the warmth of his eyes and the tilt of his lips. He wanted to take that big head of his between his hands and -

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Shane grinned, catching his gaze.

Hiding his face in his pillow, Ryan managed to croak out a muffled, “Hey.”

“I got us breakfast,” he told him, and Ryan could hear the crinkling of a paper bag. He turned his head to see what Shane was holding up. “I was craving shitty breakfast burritos, so I hope you’re cool with that.”

“When did you go get breakfast? I didn’t even hear you leave,” Ryan pointed out, sitting up in bed and pulling the blankets tighter around himself. He saw that his foldable futon was already tucked away, all the extra blankets and sheets folded up neatly on top of it.

“Didn’t leave,” Shane answered, handing the bag over to Ryan. “Got it delivered.”

“You’re so lazy,” Ryan smiled as he shook his head, pulling out the pair of breakfast burritos that were in the bag. They were still warm.

“Says the guy who’s finally waking up at like 1 in the afternoon,” Shane deadpanned, swiveling back to his homework as Ryan began to inhale his food.

“Last night left me exhausted, leave me alone,” Ryan shot back, reaching over for his own backpack to get some other homework done too. They spent the rest of the day doing homework, only venturing out to get more food before holing themselves back up and unwinding with some Hot Ones episodes on YouTube, the two of them nodding off sometime after midnight - relatively early for the two of them.

When Ryan woke up to his alarm the next morning, it was to an empty room, the smell of Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup wafting through his dorm. He got up, finding the small to-go bag on his desk along with a messily scribbled note from Shane.

_ Sorry I didn’t wait for you to wake up, bud. I started feeling a little sick early this morning and headed back to my apartment to take something to take out this cold before it takes me out. I bought us breakfast, but I mean I obviously took mine with me so that one’s all for you, little guy! :) And, I repeat,  _ I  _ got it for you. I don’t want you giving any ghosts or demons or whatever you believe in the credit for that suddenly appearing in your room. _

Despite the worry that tittered in Ryan’s chest when he heard that Shane was feeling sick, he couldn’t help but smile at his note. He pulled out his phone, shooting him a text.

**you could have just texted me the explanation**

The response came back quickly.

**Big Head: i thought my note gave it a personal touch**

Ryan rolled his eyes.  **the only thing i know is that you’re touched in the head**

**Big Head: :( how rude, and when your best friend is sick no less**

Sighing, Ryan shot back:  **want me to go over and drop off some food or something??** It sounded awkward and stilted, but Ryan wasn’t sure how to offer help without tripping all over himself in his eagerness to take care of him. Besides, he realized - he’d never even been Shane’s place yet in the years that they’d known each other in college. Sometimes he even forgot he had his own place since he was always hanging out with Ryan or at work. He tried not to think about that too much.

**Big Head: it’s okay, i’m stacked on campbell's soup to keep me going**

**Big Head: but could you send the notes for class later? i’m probably just going to spend the day sleeping this off**

**yeah, man you got it** Ryan sent back quickly. He could do that.  **i hope you feel better soon**

**Big Head: i’ll be back to annoying you before you know it**

Their messages lulled into silence after that, leaving Ryan to eat and get dressed and ready for class. He took more notes than usual, partly because he wanted Shane to understand the day’s lecture and partly because Shane wasn’t there to distract him like he usually did. He missed having Shane sitting next to him, tucked into the lecture hall desk as best as his long limbs would let him. It made the day feel exceptionally slow and drawn out, and even his afternoon shift at the bookstore felt eternal, despite it being the only time of day where he didn’t talk to Shane. By the time he finally got back to his dorm, throwing himself on his bed, he was ready to just call it a day and sleep early.

He looked over to his whiteboard, with all their notes for their project written in neatly. He could go to the library and get some work in. Shane wouldn’t even know. He pulled himself up, looking for his discarded jacket when he saw Shane’s note still on his desk.

“ _ So is that a promise or -” _

_ “It's a promise.” _

Ryan huffed out a sigh, getting back into bed.  _ Fine, fine, fine, fine _ , he said to himself. He’d made a promise and he was going to keep it. He thought of Shane, stupid Shane, alone in his apartment dealing with his cold. Dumb annoying Shane who got him breakfast and made sure he took care of himself. Ryan fell asleep imagining the stupid smirk on Shane’s face if he knew Ryan wanted to take care of him, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> our poor boy caught a little cold (like me) and Ryan is really struggling with those feelings, can y'all tell??
> 
> I really hope you guys liked the chapter! Let me know what you guys think, I honestly love love love love reading your thoughts it makes my day and it makes me feel so much better when I'm feeling all crummy and sick T.T


	4. Stay Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan gets a gift - two, to be exact.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are starting to heat up omfg i'm literally soooo thrilled I hope you guys like this next chapter!

True to his word, Shane was back to his annoying self the very next day. He still seemed exhausted, the tail end of his cold still clinging to him, but overall, he claimed to be doing much better than he had the day before.

“And now we can both hit those books again,” Shane grinned, and it eased the remaining worry that had sat tensely in Ryan’s chest. It was good to have him back.

The rest of October was a flurry working on their project and rushing other neglected homework assignments as November rolled in.

Weekends had been slated as filming days, when Eugene would come over and be one of their leads - with the other one being Ryan - and switching the story back and forth from the “past” to the “present.” Those days were long and tiring, but it was always worth it when the three of them piled into a booth at whatever restaurant was nearby and they drank and laughed well into the night.

Weekdays were much of the same as it’d been for Ryan and Shane - they spent the days in class and at work, and they spent their nights at the library. Even though much of the “research” portion of their project was already done, the library was a nice place to do their homework, and while Ryan was still digging to see what else he could find on the cases, Shane was mostly using their stints in the stacks to work on his history assignments.

And whatever weird tension there was between Shane and Ricky slowly melted away, so, while they still didn’t seem to like each other, there wasn’t always an immediate increase in animosity as soon as either of them were in the same space together. Everything fell into a routine, just like Ryan liked it.

“Hey, so, uh, I got you something,” Shane got out one afternoon, when they were having lunch.

Ryan looked over at him suspiciously. “What kind of something?”

Shane rolled his eyes. “It’s like, a gift, okay? Jeez, you act like I’m going to bring out a rabid raccoon…” He dug around through his bag, pulling out a thick grey scarf.

“A scarf?” Ryan asked, putting his hands out to take it from him.

Even though he seemed to hesitate slightly, he handed the scarf over. “Yeah, I just, well, your birthday’s coming up -”

“It isn’t for another two weeks,” Ryan reminded him, running his fingers over the scarf. It was soft and squishy, and Ryan had to keep himself from nuzzling into it.

“Yeah - and of course I know that - but since I’m not going to around til Thursday -” Shane continued.

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Ryan asked, interrupting him yet again as he pulled the scarf to his chest.

Shane froze, staring at Ryan’s big brown eyes before he averted his gaze with a strained laugh. “Did you really have to phrase it like that, man? It’s - it’s nothing bad, just helping a coworker move some stuff to her new place out of town - you know, Sara? - and well, since it’s a bit of a drive I was just going to stay there tonight and help move the rest of her things all day tomorrow.”

Ryan nodded, feeling the sudden worry that had run through him like a lightning bolt disappear just as quickly. “That’s all? Fuck, Shane, giving me this scarf and the way  _ you  _ said you weren’t going to be back til Thursday made it sound like something much more serious was going on.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t sure how you were going to deal with going to the library at night all by your lonesome,” Shane smiled, but it didn’t completely reach his eyes.

“I’ll be fine, I can take care of myself - and, let me remind you that I’m the one that can probably bench press your skinny ass. The only thing you’ve got on me is height but I’m all muscle here, stringbean,” Ryan smirked.

That pulled a real laugh out of Shane as he rolled his eyes. “Okay, yeah, whatever you say.”

They fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to eat, only broken when Ryan finally asked, “But why a scarf?”

Shane got a mischievous glint in his eyes as he reached over and grabbed the scarf, throwing it over Ryan’s head. “It's so you bundle up when I’m not here. I don’t want to get back only to see that you got sick because you’re walking around as if it's still hot girl summer.”

Ryan pulled the scarf down, giving Shane a glare. He fixed it around his neck as he huffed about how annoying Shane was, fully expecting Shane to hit him back with some witty retort, but when his friend stayed quiet, he looked up. Shane was watching him with a soft smile on his face. The look made Ryan’s breath catch in his throat.

“How does it look?” Ryan managed, his voice low enough that if Shane hadn’t been watching him he would have missed it.

“It looks good, Ry,” he said softly. “It looks good.” They stared at each other for another beat before Shane abruptly stood up, picking up his burger wrappers and empty fry box. “I should get going, don’t want to get stuck in traffic.”

“Yeah, okay,” Ryan nodded numbly, watching him throw his trash away. “Drive safe?”

“Of course,” Shane grinned. He pointed at him. “You better wear that when you go to the library, it's gonna be pretty chilly these next couple nights.”

“Okay,” Ryan repeated. Even though he didn’t want to ask, even though he could feel himself starting to go red at the question, he got out, “See you Thursday?”

“Mhm,” Shane hummed, giving him a lazy wave as he walked away. “I already can’t wait.”

* * *

Ryan didn’t realize how used to Shane he had gotten until he was alone in his corner of the library. He was so used to tapping his hand with his pencil to show him something cool he’d found, or nudge him under the table to tell him a dumb joke he remembered, and now he was by himself, left to his own devices. He didn’t know how he managed it so often before Shane had started coming around.

“Is this something you can use for your project?” Ricky asked, showing Ryan a newspaper clipping.

Well, Ryan was all on his own aside from Ricky.

As soon as Ricky saw that Shane was nowhere to be found, he’d slid into Shane’s usual spot, claiming to be, “Helping pick up the slack” so that their project wouldn’t fall behind. Even though Ryan had assured him that they were well on track for everything, Ricky had just shrugged that he didn’t really have much of anything else to do on his shift that night, so Ryan had let him stay, all his previous reluctance gone.

While he obviously wasn’t Shane, Ryan didn’t mind the company.

He looked over the article Ricky had picked out. “I think I already took down notes about that cult - this is the one that was gaining ground here in the late 1960s right?”

“Mhm,” Ricky nodded. He pulled the article back, setting it off to the side as he looked through more papers. “You really are thorough,” he commented, scratching his head.

“I try to be,” Ryan shrugged, marking a screen direction on the script and making a small edit that would make the scene flow easier. “I don’t like missing stuff, so I try to write down as much information as possible.”

“That just goes to show how organized you are,” Ricky said. Ryan could see Ricky watching him out of the corner of his eye before Ricky went back to reading.

They lapsed into silence as they both worked, and before Ryan knew it he was nodding off and muffling a yawn against his hand.

“I think as a librarian that’s my cue to start ushering you out,” Ricky quipped, standing up from his chair.

Yawning once more, Ryan gave him a sheepish smile. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

As they walked through the stacks Ryan could still see one or two students intently reading and writing, but there were a few others scattered around that had fallen asleep at their workstations. Ryan knew that if Shane hadn’t always reminded him to go home and if he hadn’t started tagging along, that definitely would have been him.

It was warm in the lobby of the library as Ryan pulled his hoodie back on. Ricky watched him, shaking his head with a small tut. “Your hood’s inside out,” he said, stepping closer to Ryan and reaching around to fix it.

Ryan stayed completely still, almost as if frozen in place. He couldn’t stop staring into Ricky’s eyes, couldn’t look away from the dark irises. They had little flecks around the edges, the color of wine.

Ricky gave him a sly smile. “There, all -” Ricky began, pulling back when suddenly the button on the cuff of his dress shirt caught against the thin chain of Ryan’s topaz. It broke at the tug, falling apart and sliding down Ryan’s neck. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” Ricky apologized quickly, grabbing a hold of both sides of the broken necklace. His fingertips brushed along Ryan’s neck, cold against his warm skin, making goosebumps rise all over.

“Oh, shit,” Ryan gasped, immediately reaching for the topaz. Ricky pulled back, holding the broken chain with the little topaz pendant aloft.

“I’m really, really sorry,” Ricky repeated, giving Ryan an apologetic shrug.

“It’s okay,” Ryan began on reflex, trying to pull the necklace back to him.

“Let me fix it,” Ricky said, looking at Ryan, intently searching his face. “Let me fix it and I’ll bring it back good as new tomorrow.”

“Yeah, okay, you can fix it,” Ryan repeated without thinking. He stepped back, wrapping his scarf around his neck. “I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow.”

Ricky gave him a bright smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ryan.”

* * *

The next day had somehow been worse than the first - not only did Ryan still miss Shane terribly, which was only augmented by the fact that he hadn’t heard anything back from Shane, but now Ryan was missing his good luck charm. He reached for it subconsciously about as often as he turned to look for Shane, and it made him feel unreasonably lonely to not have either. It couldn’t be nighttime soon enough.

When he first got to the library, Ricky was nowhere to be found. Trying to keep from getting jittery and nervous, Ryan set about to doing his work, killing about two hours of time before his friend finally showed up.

“Sorry I’m late, my dinner plans went sideways and I had to pick up a quick snack before work,” he explained, this time sliding into the chair next to Ryan.

Ryan gave him an apologetic half smile. “Sorry about dinner.”

Ricky waved it aside. “It’s fine, it’s fine, I’m here with my favorite little bookworm, and that’s all that matters.”

He couldn’t help the way his half smile grew at his words. Ricky was just charming like that.

“And here, I’ve got this for you,” he said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out his topaz - on a nice shiny new chain necklace.

“You - Ricky, you really didn’t have to, I was honestly going to ask for it back so I could just put it on whatever I had lying around,” Ryan got out, not wanting to think about how much that small chain might be worth. Given Ricky’s usual tastes, he’d hazard that it was worth a hefty amount.

“Nonsense,” Ricky drawled. “I broke it, I bought it. Now turn around and let me get this back on you.”

Ryan did as told without question. Ricky reached around with the necklace, pulling it around and clasping it in the back. His fingers lingered over the small clasp, warmer than they’d been the day before.

“Look at me,” he said, voice low.

Turning around, Ryan came face to face with Ricky. His eyes were just as hypnotizing as they always were, entrancing and intoxicating. They were so close to each other that Ryan was surprised he couldn’t feel Ricky’s breath on his face.

“Isn’t that all better,” Ricky whispered, leaning in.

Ryan tilted his head to the side, his eyes sliding shut -

The X-Files theme started blaring from his phone, making Ryan jump back with a start as he blindly reached for it, answering it to get his ringtone to shut up, a hopeful oversight so that if Shane decided to call him he wouldn’t miss it.

“Uh, yes, hi,” Ryan squeaked out.

“ _ Thank God you answered _ ,” a voice that was very much not Shane said. It was Eugene, a dramatic sigh escaping him. “ _ I just had the worst date ever and I need a friend to hear me out _ .”

“Sure, of course, dude,” Ryan nodded, getting up from his seat. He mouthed a quick,  _ Sorry _ to Ricky, who was sitting back in his seat, looking more than a little annoyed.

“I’ll help you get your stuff,” he got out, gathering Ryan’s laptop and notebook and putting it in his backpack as Ryan put on his jacket. He was about to pick up Ryan’s scarf and hand it to him when he paused, a suspicious look on his face. “What is that?”

“A scarf,” Ryan whispered. “Gimme a minute, Gene, let me just grab my things.” He grabbed his scarf, quickly tying it around his neck as he raised an eyebrow at Ricky. “Why?”

Ricky’s face was unreadable. “I just hadn’t seen you with it, that’s all.”

“Shane just got it for me,” Ryan explained. He put his phone to his ear again. “Yeah, I’m here man - so what happened with the breadsticks?”

They walked out of the stacks, Ricky dragging behind in what could only be described as a sulk. Ryan knew he should ask his friend what was wrong, but a part of him didn’t want to - besides, he was busy consoling Eugene and assuring him that he wasn’t going to die alone.

“See you,” Ryan whispered to Ricky with a wave as he made his way out of the lobby doors.

“Yeah,” Ricky answered wryly, watching Ryan go. “See you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shane just watching Ryan after he put on the scarf like bruh my heart but also like Ryan being all lonely and mopey omfg
> 
> AND Ricky my God your luck my boy first your bad luck at dinner and now getting cockblocked smfh sorry son better luck next time
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I really hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you think and what theories you've got going on!


	5. Drawing Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Shane draw closer as they celebrate the end of filming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alrighty guys, so things start to heat up in this chapter ;) I'm honestly so excited! The boys have fun! They celebrate! and honestly, its what they deserve
> 
> I really hope you guys like it!

“I almost thought you were going to spend the day sleeping in,” Ryan called out as he got closer to their usual meet up table near the library. He could see Shane already sitting there, scrolling through his phone.

He turned at the sound of Ryan’s voice, and some of the tension that Ryan hadn’t noticed drained from Shane’s shoulders. “I know that if I don’t come around to make us lunch plans you’ll probably forget about it with whatever homework you’re working on.” He stood up, cocking his head to the side as a smile spread across his face. “You’re wearing the scarf.”

“Well, yeah,” Ryan shrugged, picking at the scarf a little, not wanting to meet Shane’s eyes, for fear that he might be able to read how much Ryan liked it. “It was cold out today.”

“It's good that you’re wearing it then,” Shane grinned. “Do you want to get Panda?”

“I’m down for anything right now, I’m starving,” Ryan said, matching Shane’s pace as they walked towards the Panda on campus and eager to change the subject from whatever feelings he might have about the scarf and Shane seeming happy that he was wearing it. “How was the move?”

Shane’s brow furrowed in confusion before he nodded. “Oh, yeah, that was good - we got all of Sara’s stuff moved in and ready for her to unpack.”

“Gee, couldn’t even help her get settled in,” Ryan began, elbowing Shane lightly. He turned to his friend, aiming to give him a teasing smile when the expression fell from his face. “Dude, you look like shit.”

“Thanks, Ryan, you sure know how to make a guy feel special,” Shane deadpanned, and although it was meant to be funny, his eyes were shifty, as if he were trying to avoid Ryan’s gaze.

“I mean - like I don’t want to be rude, but are you okay?” Ryan asked. “You look real bad.”

And he did. Shane had deep, dark bags under his eyes, highlighting how bloodshot and puffy they were - either from lack of sleep or crying or maybe even a mixture of the two, Ryan didn’t know. His hair hung limp and dry, with none of it's usual soft fluff to it. He looked pale, like he might pass out at any minute, and there was an exhausted sway to his movements that made Ryan think that Shane passing out might be a very real possibility.

“‘m fine, Ry,” Shane reassured him. “Just a little tired.”

Ryan shook his head. “I don’t know, man.” He’d slowed his pace, meaning that Shane had slowed down too, until they were both standing still, Ryan looking up at him worriedly. “You look like you’re sick.”

Shane ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up like he usually did, but it didn’t look like normal. It stuck out at odd angles that just made him look even more exhausted. “I told you, dude, I’m fine. Fit as a whistle.”

They stood there, just staring at each other, a silent argument transpiring between them. Ryan narrowed his eyes, and, after a few more seconds, Shane sighed.

“We’ll go get Panda and take it back to my place,” Ryan told him. “We don’t have work or class for the rest of the day, so we’re gonna head back and you’re gonna sleep whatever you have off.”

“No, it’s - Ryan, it’s fine,” Shane insisted. When Ryan only raised his eyebrow in response, Shane tried for a compromise. “I can just head back to my apartment, man.”

“Then let me go with you,” Ryan rushed out. He could feel his brain race to catch up with his mouth, the rising blush on his cheeks a give away that maybe he’d said too much. He dropped his gaze, coughing out a quiet, “Just so I can help if you need anything and stuff.”

“But what about our library plans?” Shane asked, just as quietly.

“Library can wait,” Ryan answered, kicking at a loose pebble on the ground.

There was a beat of silence.

“Okay,” Shane said finally.

Ryan looked up at him. “Okay?”

Shane nodded. “Yeah, I’ll spend the night.” He gave Ryan a smile that was just teasing enough that Ryan could overlook how soft it was. “Didn’t know you worried about me so much.”

“I worry about you just the right amount,” Ryan huffed. He glanced away, starting to head down to Panda again. “Now, c’mon, I’m hungry.”

* * *

“Does all your stuff smell like old spice?” Shane asked as he came back into Ryan’s room from the showers.

“Hey, if you want to complain about my stuff then you didn’t have to use it,” Ryan shot back from where he lay on his bed, scrolling through youtube on his phone. “Not everything can smell like your lumberjack foresty stuff -” Ryan began, rolling over to look over at Shane. He bolted up, looking away and trying to will himself not to blush.

“My lumberjack foresty stuff smells great, not like whatever frat-boy stuff you’ve got going on there,” Shane quipped, digging through the dresser drawer that Ryan had assigned him for his things as he looked for clothes to wear.

Ryan was staring resolutely at the wall, very much aware that Shane was  _ just _ in his towel, the image of it hanging low on his hips burned into his mind. He heard Shane give a pleased hum, then some more rustling around behind him before Shane flopped onto the bed beside Ryan, making Ryan jump out of his skin.

“Whoa, bud, you alright there?” Shane asked, looking up at him.

“Y-yeah,” Ryan coughed out, looking away and taking a deep breath, finally getting the warmth out of his face. “Yeah, I’m good.”

Shane turned towards him, a lazy smile on his face. “Don’t worry, man, no ghosts here.”

“Shut up,” Ryan grumbled, giving Shane a halfhearted glare. Ryan’s glare melted as he took Shane in, noticing how much better he looked after a warm shower. Shane looked less tired, the dark circles under his eyes fading slightly. He looked less pale too, his skin almost glowing now, warm and inviting in a way that made Ryan lean in unconsciously. Shane propped himself up on his elbow slowly, eyes never leaving Ryan’s as they inched closer. Ryan’s hand found it's way to the back of Shane’s head, running through the soft strands. It was still a little damp, the unexpected coolness giving Ryan chills. They leaned into each other, the draw pulling them ever closer.

Then Ryan’s phone went off.

Ryan jumped back, almost falling off his bed as he pulled his hand back quickly, scrambling to answer his phone. Shane flopped onto his back again, letting out a long sigh as Ryan finally found his phone. “Hello?”

“ _ You better be free this weekend _ ,” Eugene sang into the phone, “ _ because we’re gonna go out and get druuuuuunk. _ ”

“And why, uh, exactly are we going to get drunk?” Ryan asked, giving Shane a small shrug when he raised a questioning eyebrow.

“ _ We gotta celebrate that we’re done filming!” _ Eugene exclaimed. “ _ So you and Shane better be free Saturday night. I’ll personally come drag you both out if you give me any excuses _ .” And with that he hung up.

Ryan stared down at his phone. “I guess we’re going out Saturday night. Eugene wants to celebrate that we’re done filming.”

Shane nodded. “Sounds about right. But hey, we gotta celebrate the little things.” He gave Ryan a lopsided smile. “Keeps life fun.”

With a small smile of his own, Ryan shook his head, pushing Shane away halfheartedly. “Whatever, man. Right now though, you have to sleep.”

“Wait, why?” Shane asked, letting himself get pushed.

“Because you need to rest if you want to get better,” Ryan said adamantly. “Now, sleep. I’ll take the futon.”

“Nah, Ry, I’ll take it,” Shane started, getting up part-way before Ryan shoved him down.

“Not gonna happen,” Ryan disagreed, pinning Shane down. “You’re the one who really,  _ really _ needs rest.”

“But this is your bed,” Shane protested, trying to get up again.

Ryan held him down. “We both know I’m much stronger than you. I can keep this up all night if I have to.”

Something Ryan couldn’t quite name crossed over Shane’s face as a soft blush dusted his face, but then he was glaring up at Ryan, giving one last little shove before he sighed, the fight going out of him. “What if we, like, put on a movie or something and whoever falls asleep first takes the bed?”

“That sounds fair,” Ryan said slowly, giving Shane a suspicious look. He finally realized he was hovering over Shane, holding him down, and he let go, moving to sit beside him instead and trying to ignore how that realization sparked something in the pit of his stomach.

“There’s a new season of  _ Nailed It _ ? We could give that a try?” Shane suggested, sitting up and pulling himself back until he was leaning against the wall.

“I’m down,” Ryan answered, moving back to where Shane was sitting too. He quickly turned on his TV, logging into Netflix and finding the holiday episodes of  _ Nailed It _ . They got through a couple of episodes, breaking into some of Ryan’s snacks while they laughed at the baker’s terrible attempts at making detailed cakes - “That Scrooge cake should count as a war crime,” Shane quipped, making Ryan wheeze - before they both fell asleep, Ryan nodding off against Shane with Shane following just a few short minutes after, falling into a tangle of limbs that ended up being much more comfortable than either of them would admit the next morning.

* * *

Saturday night rolled around after finishing off the rest of the week, the November chill now turning into a cold snap that made Ryan bundle up more than usual, putting on a green flannel over his grey t-shirt. He put his scarf on too, looping it around his neck before heading out to meet up with Eugene. They took an Uber over to their usual bar, CC’s, finding Shane and Zach already there, with Ned and Keith on their way.

“Would it kill you to wear something over that? Just seeing you walking around in that makes me cold,” Zach said in lieu of a greeting as Ryan and Eugene slid into the booth they’d gotten for their group.

“I’m warm,” Ryan answered just as Shane gave an exasperated snort and mumbled out, “Yeah, right.”

Before Ryan could say anything more though, Eugene was already dragging Shane out of the booth, demanding his help with drinks as they headed to the bar and ordered a round of shots to start the night off.

Ned and Keith joined the group as soon as Shane and Eugene returned, and after downing their first round all the drinks got much easier to handle. At first their group was sending off pairs to get another round or a beer or two, but after Eugene and Ned were thoroughly enough wasted everyone else started going up for their own drinks. No one really had any intention to catch up to the two but no one was stopping in their drinking either.

“Heya Ceec,” Ryan grinned at the bartending as he sidled up to the bar.

CC, the owner of the bar, quirked an eyebrow at him. “Already back for more? I thought your tall friend had already taken you back something.”

“It was just a little bit,” Ryan assured, leaning against the counter. “Besides, we’re celebrating! I deserve a good night of drinking.”

“I’m not gonna stop you from buying my booze, but I do wanna ask the right questions to make sure you’re still processing.” He turned around, pulling down the bottle of tequila that Ryan had been partial to all night and poured him a shot. “So, what are you celebrating?” CC asked, sliding the shot over to Ryan.

“We just finished filming all the stuff we need for a film theory project,” Ryan explained, pounding the shot quickly before continuing, “Even though I’ve been doing lots and lots of research to get the information about it right, it's been a lot of fun working on it.” The tequila burned going down, but the steadily increasing buzz at the back of his head was more than enough to numb some of that feeling.

“What have you been researching?” CC followed up, bringing out a clean rag and wiping down the countertop.

Ryan looked around the bar as if he were going to share a big secret before he leaned in, and in a, albeit loud whisper, said, “It’s about some weird disappearances. Happen every 50 years or something and they all seem connected but Shane says it's not possible because the gap between cases is too long.”

CC slowed down in his motions, almost looking tense. “So you’ve been looking into the people that go missing?”

“Yep,” Ryan nodded. “Can I get another shot please?”

Silently, CC got Ryan another shot, and once Ryan had taken it CC finally said, “Maybe you should look into the people that don’t go missing.”

Ryan frowned, eyes narrowing as he thought about it. “I hadn’t even considered that.”  
“Well,” CC coughed, going back to cleaning the countertop, “It's just a thought.” He nodded over to the table Ryan had come from. “Your friend’s looking for you, better head back.”

Turning around, Ryan caught sight of Shane craning his neck and looking around the bar, clearly looking for someone, and when his eyes finally landed on Ryan his face lit up with a big goofy smile that made Ryan much warmer than the tequila ever did. Ryan gave CC one final nod before heading back to the table, sliding in beside Shane.

“Hi,” Shane smiled.

“Hey,” Ryan answered, smiling just as widely.

“Shaaaaaane,” Eugene whined, dragging Shane’s attention away from Ryan, “you’re not drunk enough!”

“I’m plenty drunk,” Shane said with a shrug. “I just have a higher tolerance level than you. It’s why I’m not slurring around,” he teased.

“‘M not slurrin’ around,” Eugene grumbled, before taking a deep breath and repeating, “I am not slurring around,” emphasizing the words to enunciate them perfectly.

“Good job, could’ve definitely fooled me,” Keith laughed, still nursing a beer and clearly remaining the soberest of them all.

“I wanna see Shane get drunk drunk though,” Eugene pouted, leaning bodily into Zach who jumped a little from where he had begun to doze off.

“You don’t wanna see that. I just get sleepy,” Shane said, punctuating his point with a yawn. He stretched his arms sleepily, trying to get more comfortable where he sat, one arm coming down on the table beside his beer while the other came to rest on the back of the booth’s seat, right behind Ryan’s shoulders.

Ryan was 100% definitely not complaining about how Shane was sitting. It was warm, and cozy, and the way his arm was around his shoulders made it all the easier for Ryan to lean closer to Shane, seeking his warmth and feeling his laughter and just sitting pressed into his side, drunk off Shane just as much as he was off the liquor. It was great.

Time seemed to fly by after that. Ryan felt like he had only blinked and suddenly Shane was giving his shoulders a squeeze, waking him up from where he’d apparently nodded off.

“Hey, little guy, time to go,” Shane said, arm still around Ryan.

“Where,” Ryan began, blinking blearily and looking around at their now empty booth, “where is everyone?”

“Zach and Eugene caught a ride back together a bit ago and Ned and Keith just headed out front to catch their Uber. Ours is just around the corner,” he explained, leading Ryan to his feet. He dropped his arm from around Ryan, but before Ryan could protest Shane had draped his jean jacket over his shoulders, his arm taking it's original position. “I was thinking about spending the night, if that’s okay.”

“‘Course it's okay,” Ryan hummed, letting Shane lead him out and then into their uber. The drive was uneventful aside from the fact that Ryan sat in the middle seat, not budging from Shane’s side. Shane didn’t seem to mind, keeping his arm around Ryan without a word, and it felt so natural that Ryan felt like he was meant to be there. The thought made his heart jump to his throat, threatening to tumble out of his mouth in a rush of words that he could never take back. It made him nervous in a way that made his head spin.

They stumbled across campus after that, getting up to Ryan’s dorm and going inside, Shane flopping onto Ryan’s bed as Ryan stood by the door, sliding his scarf off from around his neck.

“I’ll get off of here in a second, lemme just catch my breath,” Shane got out from where he lay.

When Ryan didn’t answer, Shane peeked over at him. Ryan was just staring at Shane, eyes wide with emotion, lips parted as if he were trying to find the right words to say. The tension that had been building all night settled around them, pushing towards a breaking point.

“Hey, your shirt’s a little,” Shane began quietly, pointing at his own neck. “It’s messed up.” When Ryan didn’t budge, Shane slowly stood up, offering, “I can fix it.”

Ryan knew what Shane was doing. He was giving Ryan an excuse to close the distance between them. Ryan walked forward, coming to stand right in front of Shane.

Shane gently put his hands on Ryan’s flannel collar, fixing it slowly, his fingers smoothing out the creases as he intently watched what he was doing. Ryan’s eyes were fixed on Shane, memorizing him in this very moment, memorizing how soft his face was, how open and gentle and vulnerable he looked. He mirrored how Ryan was feeling, and that made Ryan feel braver.

He put a hand on Shane’s, stilling it, and making Shane look at him.

Their eyes met for a second that felt like an eternity, and Shane moved his hand to cup Ryan’s face while his other hand slipped past his flannel to caress his neck as he leaned forward. His fingers were warm and soft and so, so gentle, and Ryan’s eyes were slipping closed and suddenly - nothing.

Shane had jumped back as if he’d been burned, cradling his hands to his chest. “W-where did you get that?” he asked, voice hoarse.

“Wait, get what?” Ryan said, confused and hurt at the same time.

“That,” Shane repeated, now pointing at Ryan’s neck.

Ryan glanced down while his hand reached for the place Shane had pointed at, finding nothing other than his necklace. “You mean this? Shane, you know I’ve always had this.”

“No, no, not,” Shane shook his head jerkily, as if he couldn’t find the right order to his words. “I meant the chain - it’s different.”

“Oh,” Ryan got out. He touched his little topaz. “It broke and Ricky got me another chain for it.”

Shane’s expression hardened at that. “Ricky, okay, Ricky got it for you.” He shook his head with a self deprecating smile, “Right,  _ of course _ he got it for you.”

“It doesn’t - Shane, but it doesn’t mean anything,” Ryan rushed out, worried that Shane was getting the wrong idea.

The smile slid off Shane’s face as he sighed, just looking tired now - and worried. “It might not mean anything to you, little guy.” He was still cradling his hand to his chest, and he seemed to notice as he forced himself to drop his hand to the side. “Let’s just head to bed, yeah? We’re both kinda drunk.”

“But,” Ryan started to protest, feeling confused and small and put out and just scared that he’d somehow fucked things up. “Shane, I - I’m sorry, I -”

Shane stepped up to Ryan again, pulling him into a tight hug. He leaned his cheek over the top of Ryan’s head, his arms wrapped around his shoulders. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Ry. I promise. Let’s just go to bed, okay?”

Ryan nodded against Shane’s chest, swallowing down a sniffle as he wrapped his arms around Shane’s middle. “Okay,” he whispered.

When Shane guided Ryan to the bed, Ryan easily climbed on without another word. It wasn’t until Shane moved to pull out the futon that Ryan reached out to grab Shane. “We can share again?” he asked quietly.

“I’d like that,” Shane answered honestly, without a hint of hesitation.

They hadn’t bothered to take off their clothes - aside from Ryan taking off Shane’s jean jacket - when they went to bed, Ryan feeling too drunk to try and Shane seeming too tired to bother. They fit in as comfortably as they could on Ryan’s tiny bed before they both ended up in each other’s space, Ryan’s head on Shane’s chest and Shane’s arm slung around Ryan, rubbing small soothing circles into his back. They didn’t say anything, just held onto each other, Ryan worried about whatever Shane was thinking about and Shane clearly trying to think about anything but whatever was on his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> poor Ryan, just getting left to dry like that :(( but hey it is what it is bud, better luck next time, and I'm sure Shane will come thru ;)
> 
> And I included the try guys! (I think!) I honestly don't know anything about them but I decided the cast was too small so just add them in for this bit and also since Eugene has been mentioned but hasn't appeared yet, this just felt right, y'know?
> 
> honestly tho, Ryan being all soft and worrying about Shane ends me, like that's fucking cute gang that's the Good Shit
> 
> I really hope you guys liked it! Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! Keep those reactions coming!!


	6. Pulse Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan follows a new lead, and Shane's running a little late to the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooookay so this is the chapter that I have a trigger warning for SO PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE SO YOU KNOW WHAT'S WHAT AND YOU GUYS CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE FIC: alright, so there are predatory elements and injuries are inflicted which are bloody. Most of it is in the second half of the chapter but there are still parts that apply to the first half as well
> 
> I really hope you guys like this chapter though! I'm honestly super excited for it for reasons that will become clear after you guys read it! We've hit the turning point lads!

A few days later found Ryan in the stacks, head buried in new articles from around the time of the disappearances. Something about that night of drinking at the bar made him feel like he had a lead. It was a fuzzy memory, but it had pointed him towards looking at the things that were there, rather than the disappearances themselves. Honestly, he didn’t remember much from that night, so he could have honestly dreamt up that lead for all he knew.

But after digging around, he found that aside from the victim’s fascination with the occult that arose some time before their disappearance, there also seemed to always be someone new in town. It either happened right before or right after, but some new, rich family came up in the papers, causing some buzz before dying down into obscurity.

It seemed like nothing, but there was just something about it that bothered Ryan. It felt like there was something trying to gasp for breath before getting shoved beneath the water, and Ryan had a feeling that the truth was right below the surface.

Now Ryan was looking into the Dracamonte family that had cropped up in the area sometime around the disappearance that had happened about 150 years ago. He was trying to track the family through time, just to see that they  _ were  _ still around, just to disprove his current theory.

He felt someone slide into the chair beside him, but he didn’t bother looking over. Shane was too loud and would have announced himself from a dozen steps away - he only knew one person that moved like a shadow.

“Here all by your lonesome?” Ricky asked.

“Mhmm,” Ryan hummed, skimming through the article he was on before setting it down and looking through his pile of newspaper clipping to find anything else on the Dracamonte family.

“No Shane?”

Ryan shrugged, “Not right now, no.”

They fell into silence for a few minutes. “Looks like you’re researching something new,” Ricky observed. “Is this for another class?”

“Nah, this is still for my project,” Ryan answered, setting aside any clipping that seemed even a little interesting while separating the ones that had no relevant information in them. “I’m just looking at it from another angle.”

“And what angle might that be - if you’d be willing to enlighten me, that is?” Ricky continued, leaning over to try and catch what Ryan was looking at.

“This is gonna sound weird - and really random, but I’m kind of researching this rich family that sorta popped up out of the blue,” Ryan admitted.

He felt Ricky stiffen beside him for a beat before he slouched forward in his seat, the perfect picture of dramatic. “Who’s the family?”

“The Dracamonte’s,” Ryan said, having gotten through a third of the pile at that point.

Ricky stood up suddenly, taking a few steps away from the table and toward the book shelf. That made Ryan pause. He turned around slowly, watching Ricky as he stood with his back to him, his hands clasped behind him as he perused the book titles.

“I haven’t heard that name in a long time,” Ricky finally got out.

“You’ve heard of them?” Ryan asked, getting partway up in his seat to get a better look at Ricky.

“Not in a long time,” Ricky repeated. He gave Ryan a sideways glance. “You’re a smart boy, Ryan. Much smarter than you’re given credit for.”

Ryan felt himself flush at the praise. “I mean, I’m just doing some research, that’s all.”

Before Ryan could so much as blink Ricky had closed the distance between the two, looming over him. He was watching Ryan with an appraising eye, sizing him up.

“You’ve been fun to have around, did you know that?” Ricky whispered.

“I -” Ryan started, not sure what to say to that.

“An absolute delight,” Ricky reiterated, turning around and going back to the bookshelf. He gave Ryan a glance over his shoulder. “You know that the Dracamonte’s were very reclusive. Kept to themselves - except for their son.”

“Their son?” Ryan found himself slowly standing up, unsure as to why. “How do you know that?”

“Come over here and I’ll tell you all about them,” Ricky said quietly.

Ryan walked over to Ricky, coming to stand beside him.

Ricky glanced at him, then continued. “He honestly seemed like the only real member of the family. He was a bachelor, always out and around the city, indulging and enjoying in everything the city of angles had to offer.” He walked around Ryan in a slow circle, pinning Ryan to the spot with a look. “Everyone always said he was really charming.”

“That sounds -” Ryan started again, but his voice died in his throat when Ricky stepped closer to him, crowding him back against the bookshelf.

“He got everything he wanted, Ryan,” Ricky smiled, leaning into Ryan. He pressed his forehead to Ryan’s temple, taking a deep breath, ice cold against Ryan’s warmth. “He  _ always _ got what he wanted.”

Ryan felt his eyes begin to slide closed but he fought against the feeling, managing to choke out, “What did he want?”

“Right now?” Ricky pulled back, meeting Ryan’s gaze. “ _ You _ .”

* * *

Shane walked through the stacks, running a hand through his hair. He wished his chemistry lab hadn’t run so late - curse his stupid burn and the stupid bandage that he’d wrapped around it. He didn’t like Ryan coming down to the archives, and he liked it even less when he came to the archives alone. It was different when Shane  _ couldn’t _ be there, but when other, little things got in the way...he’d rather just not leave Ryan alone down there. It made his skin crawl.

He made his way towards their back corner, trying to come up with some excuse that would make Ryan budge from his research. The last few days had seen him digging around the articles with a new resolve, something about a “lead” or some other Ryan-esque thing he would say. It made Shane fondly exasperated that Ryan seemed so sure that he was going to crack the case, but Shane knew that if there was anything that needed to be found out, Ryan was stubborn and curious enough to find it. Shane figured he could tell him he was tired or hungry, and maybe Ryan would take pity on him enough to pack it in earlier than he’d planned.

It made him sigh with relief that he hadn’t seen Ricky anywhere in the stacks. Hopefully the little creep had the day off.

Turning the corner, Shane was just about to give a loud-whispered greeting to avoid scaring Ryan when he froze on the spot.

Ryan’s eyes shifted to his, drawn by the movement, but they were glassy and unfocused, his head lolling back against the bookshelf after a second. Ricky was at his neck, mouthing at the sensitive skin there, and to anyone it would seem like they had stumbled upon some heated make out session in the stacks.

Shane wasn’t just anyone though.

Ricky clearly knew he was there, lifting up a finger in a  _ wait a second _ gesture that made Shane’s blood boil, snapping him out of his pause and pushing him forward. He was almost around the table when Ricky took a deep breath, swallowing deeply, before he pulled away from Ryan’s neck.

“I knew I smelled a beast,” he sneered, Ryan’s blood staining his lips.

Shane didn’t answer, his glare murderous as he kept making his way towards him.

“No-no-no,” Ricky tsked. “I’d stop right there if I were you.” He closed his eyes and nuzzled into Ryan’s bloody neck, baring his fangs. “We both know I’m much quicker than you, and you’re definitely not prepared to take me on.” He glanced over at Shane from where he was still pressed to Ryan’s neck. “Any closer and I’ll tear his throat out and leave him to die.”

Reluctantly, Shane stopped where he stood. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Shane growled.

“Finally getting what’s mine,” Ricky breathed out, sinking his fangs into Ryan and taking another pull. Ryan’s hands came up to Ricky’s chest, his fingers feebly holding onto his shirt. Shane lurched forward, wanting to tear them apart, and the motion was clearly not lost on Ricky who smiled against Ryan’s neck. He pulled back with a satisfied sigh, then glanced down at Ryan’s hands. “And would you look at that - I think he likes it.”

“You fucker,” Shane spat, hands twitching at his sides, his instincts threatening to take over. “You absolute sick fucker. I should fucking tear you to shreds right now.” He could feel his canines starting to grow, the itch starting to buzz beneath his skin. The smell of Ryan’s blood only made everything get hazy around the corners, already half mad with rage.

“Also wouldn’t do that,” Ricky shrugged. He turned Ryan toward’s Shane, stepping behind him as he held Ryan up. One of Ricky’s arms snaked around Ryan’s chest, while the other held his head steady so Shane could see his face - and the blood running down his neck. “What if little Ryan got caught in the crossfire? You wouldn’t want to hurt him, would you, mutt?”

Ryan’s eyes tried to focus on Shane, narrowing and blinking as if he were staring at a too bright light. “Shane,” he breathed out weakly. The puncture wounds on his neck bled freely, the scarlet seeping into his shirt.

Shane’s heart clenched painfully in his chest but he forced his body to grow quiet, reigning himself in.

“Good boy,” Ricky crooned, moving Ryan’s head in a nod as if Ryan was the one that had given him the praise.

The move made Shane’s eyes flash, a threat and a promise that Ricky was on thin fucking ice on a hot summer’s day. Any wrong move and Shane would definitely take the gamble to snap Ricky in half.

Ricky shrugged, sinking his fangs into Ryan’s neck again, but this time keeping clear eye contact with Shane. “Mmmm,” he hummed, running a finger up and down Ryan’s chest. After what felt like an eternity but what couldn’t have been more than a few heartbeats, Ricky pulled off of Ryan with a deep breath. “He is an absolute delight,” he grinned, his fangs bloody and long and threatening to do more. He licked a stripe up Ryan’s neck, over the mess of puncture wounds.

Then he shoved Ryan at Shane.

Shane rushed forward to catch him, cradling him in his arms as he half turned to put himself between Ryan and Ricky. He growled at Ricky, his canines not having disappeared all the way.

“Adorable,” Ricky crooned. “Absolutely adorable.” He retracted his fangs, licking his lips to catch all the blood that had stained them. “Just know that your little trick with the scarf? Child’s play.” He wiped at his chin, licking his fingers as he savored Ryan’s taste. “I did get a little carried away - I’m not usually this messy. He’s just  _ delicious _ .” He leaned against the bookshelf, eyes darting to Shane’s bandaged hand before he grinned again. “Oooh, did someone get burned?”

“You fucking know what you did - of course I got burned,” Shane snapped, shifting Ryan in his arms as he picked him up bridal style.

“Well, now you know who’s really in charge here - but I guess you already saw that from what I did to little Ryan here,” Ricky shrugged, a satisfied smirk on his face. “You can run along now, you know. I’m not going to stop you.”

Shane glanced behind them, unsure of how he was going to carry Ryan out looking like that without drawing attention.

Ricky waved his worry aside. “Don’t worry, they won’t notice a thing.”

Realization dawned on Shane. “You’ve been charming all of them.”

“For months,” Ricky admitted, eyes shining with glee. “Why do you think they’ve never come around to this corner of the archives?”

“You -” Shane began, voice shaking with anger and fear and the survival instinct to flee all at once.

“Me,” Ricky sang, moving past him. He pinched Shane’s cheek as he walked by and patted Ryan on the head lovingly. Shane had to fight the urge to bite his hand off, his stomach churning when he realized Ricky’s hand, which should have been freezing to the touch, was warm. “Get going, mutt,” he said again, eyes drifting to Ryan. “Before I get hungry again.”

Shane left without another word, holding Ryan tightly in his arms as Ryan weakly held onto him too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so how was that for the big reveal folks?
> 
> I mean I'm not gonna like spell it out for you guys (yet) but it's kinda out there as to what our boy Goldsworth is - but hey I don't want to stop any of those theories so keep them coming loves!
> 
> and ohhh T.T our boys! Shane being all protective and poor bby Ryan T.T
> 
> I really hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you guys think - comments and kudos make me smile during the beginning of hell week that is finals!


	7. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Shane talk about what happened, and neither of them are happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyyyyy so first things first, love all of your reactions they have given me so much life i've been giddy just reading everything it makes me so happy!
> 
> I won't keep you guys here too long though, I hope you guys like this next chapter!

Ryan slowly blinked himself awake, giving a sleepy stretch before rolling over and snuggling deeper into the blanket. He didn’t have class until later in the day, so he could afford to sleep in for a while longer. He peeked over to where he had his alarm clock, just to check how much time he actually had to sleep, but instead of the red digital numbers he found nothing but darkness.

He sat up, rubbing at his eyes, wondering if maybe he’d unplugged the clock to plug something else in. He reached over to his nightstand, looking for his phone, but instead found his glasses. Ryan picked them up as he kept looking, and it wasn’t until he had them in his hand that he realized they weren’t his. They were a little bigger, the weight of them off from what he was used to. He shook his head as he blinked, getting used to the dark as quickly as he could as he took in his surroundings - which weren’t what he was expecting.

It wasn’t his room. It was a bedroom, but it didn’t seem like a dorm room. There was the bed he was sleeping on, and the nightstand, and a dresser beside a closet. There was a desk against the wall by the door that was bigger than the one he had in his dorm with a desktop computer and a Switch that was connected to a TV that was mounted on the wall. There was a sliver of light coming through the bottom of the bedroom door.

As quietly as possible, Ryan slipped off the bed. He was still in his clothes, thank God, but he was missing his jacket and his shoes. Feeling the familiar weight of his phone in his pocket once he’s standing, he pulled it out and turned on his flashlight rather than the bedroom light to get a better look at things.

Sweeping the light over the room, now he can make out a few more details. There’s an open can of Monster on the desk, and a couple of textbooks with pieces of paper sticking out of them and a few notebooks tucked up beside them. There’s a calendar tacked up on the wall beside the desk, opened up to November, and there are three dates marked out. Two of them are back to back, surrounded by an angry circle of red, while the third has a little smiley face drawn into the box.

Ryan isn’t sure how he feels about the smiley face being drawn into the day of his birthday.

Turning the light back to the bed, he can see that there’s a red flannel hanging off the edge, and when Ryan picks it up he realizes it's Shane’s. He whips the flashlight around back to the calendar and yeah - the other two days were the days that Shane was gone, out helping his coworker move.

Now the smiley face warms Ryan, as he realizes he’s in Shane’s room.

He turned towards the door, about to head out, when the flashlight catches the mirror, blinding him briefly as the light is reflected back, but not before he noticed the dark spot on his neck.

Confused, Ryan gets closer to the mirror, and this time he shines the light on himself, on his neck - and stifles a gasp. The right side of his neck is a mess of bruises, and when Ryan reaches up to touch them he can feel that they’re tender, sensitive to touch. Ryan feels his stomach drop as he tries to remember what happened before he went to sleep, but he can only reach as far back as him being in the stacks, and everything is just gone from there.

Looking down further, he sees that the shirt that he was in wasn’t even his own - it was Shane’s. It’s a soft grey t-shirt, but one Ryan recognizes as part of his vast array of undershirts for the closet full of flannels that he has.

And that, coupled with what he can only presume are hickeys on his neck, are what finally make Ryan turn pink, his mind quickly coming up with all sorts of ideas to fill in the blank between the stacks and him waking up here, in Shane’s bed, in Shane’s shirt, with  _ hickeys _ on his neck.

Knowing that he won’t be able to figure out anything else by just standing there and staring at himself, he turns off his flashlight and pockets his phone, and then walks out of the room.

He’s in a hallway, standing outside the bedroom with a door directly in front of him and a half dozen feet to the left the hallway opens up. Seeing the light that’s coming from what he presumes is the kitchen, Ryan heads over there, only pausing at the edge of the light, suddenly nervous.

It’s just Shane, he reminds himself, and, taking a deep breath, he quietly shuffles out.

The hallway has opened up to a cozy living room to the right, and a small kitchen to the left, with an island that separates the two spaces. Shane is standing with his back to Ryan, arms crossed, leaning against the island as he watches the kettle on the stove intently. He hasn’t noticed Ryan, his mind clearly elsewhere.

“Hey,” Ryan gets out, and it's quiet, a gentle testing of the waters, but it sounds loud in the near silence of the apartment.

Shane turns around, eyes widening when he sees Ryan, and, before Ryan can say anything else, he’s coming around the kitchen and standing in front of Ryan, worry written all over his face. He reaches out, his fingers hovering above the bruise on Ryan’s neck. “Oh thank God they healed over,” he breathes, eyes darting from his neck to Ryan’s face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Ryan nods, unsure about why Shane is so worried. But seeing him like that makes Ryan brave enough to smile reassuringly. “I’m all good. Nothing I can’t handle, big guy.”

“Nothing you can’t,” Shane starts, and his hands finally come down, settling on Ryan’s shoulders to make sure that Ryan is looking right at him. “Ryan, he could have killed you.”

And now Ryan has no idea what he’s talking about. “What? What are you talking about? Who could have killed me?”

“Ricky,” Shane answers without preamble.

Ryan blinks owlishly at Shane. “Ricky?” he repeats, and this time he shrugs Shane’s hands off his shoulders, taking a step back. “What the hell does Ricky have to do with this?”

“With - Ryan he has  _ everything _ to do with this!” Shane exclaims, threading his fingers together and putting them on the back of his neck as if to keep himself grounded. “With the way I found him on you last night -”

The bruises on his neck burn, and it suddenly becomes very, very clear that they didn’t come from Shane, and while that dashes his naive hope against the rocks, it makes his stomach turn, a cold weight settling in his chest.

“You found him on me?” Ryan asks, surprised that he can even find his voice.

Shane nods, looking down before meeting Ryan’s gaze again. “Yeah, in the stacks. That leech was just -” he heaved a tired breath, cleary trying to control himself. “I wanted to fucking rip him to shreads.”

Ryan can’t wrap his head around how angry Shane sounds. “You wanted to fight him?”

“No,” Shane answers, his eyes turning deadly. “I wanted to kill him.”

“That’s -” Ryan starts, and he wants to call it an over reaction, a response too violent for  _ whatever _ Shane found that Ryan can’t remember but who’s evidence is on his neck, yet he can’t bring himself to say it. Instead, he says, “It’s okay though, I’m okay. I’ll just talk to Ricky and tell him to not do that again.”

And now it’s Shane blinking at him owlishly, not expecting that response. He shakes his head. “Ryan, you can’t talk to him - he fucking  _ fed _ on you and you think telling him to just knock it off will stop him?”

“What do you mean he fed on me?” Ryan asks, and his hand jumps to his neck, and the ice in his chest freezes his lungs over.

Shane looks at Ryan carefully, and realization dawns on him. “You don’t remember, do you?”

Ryan shakes his head slowly, and Shane looks devastated and relieved all at the same time. He gently reaches over, taking Ryan’s free hand in between both of his own.

“Look, Ry, this is going to sound crazy, but I promise you it's the truth,” Shane starts quietly. When Ryan doesn’t say anything, when he just stares up at him, fear and confusion in his eyes, Shane just says it: “Ricky’s a vampire.”

They stand there, staring at each other for a beat before Ryan rips his hand out of Shane’s grasp, looking hurt and angry. “Ha ha, very funny, Shane,” he seethes. “Of course stupid Ryan would believe that.”

“I’m not lying,” Shane rushes out. “Why do you think you have that on your neck! He was feeding on you, Ryan.”

Ryan takes another step back, shaking his head vehemently. “I don’t believe you - if you don’t want to tell me the truth about whatever the fuck happened, fine. But why lie to me? Why lie about something you don’t even believe? You don’t believe in those kinds of things!”

Shane sighs, his expression pained. “Ryan, this is real though - Ricky’s a vampire and he’s dangerous.”

“How would you even know?” Ryan shouted, shouted to be heard over the thundering of his heart, over the truth he found in Shane’s words that he refused to believe.

There’s a breath of silence as Shane makes up his mind. “Because,” he says, and he pushes up his lip, just a bit, just to show Ryan the beginning of a lethal canine that’s growing longer than the rest of his teeth. He drops his hands, and when he talks again, Ryan can see all four canines, long and sharp and deadly. “I’m a werewolf.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yup yup yup its all spelled out for you babes, Shane's a werewolf and Ricky's a vampire, and if you guys run through the previous chapters there's three or four hints as to what Shane is, a few of you have picked up on the necklace and some have also been eyeing him suspiciously, but yeah! That's what our boy is!!
> 
> but poor Ryan he's really out here getting these bombs dropped on him he's just a liddle baby human he didn't sign up for this shit T.T
> 
> I really hope you guys liked this chapter and that you guys have been liking this fic so far! I think there's about 5 more chapters til this is over, but yeah man this has been so much fun and hearing from you guys has been great! Thank you so much for the support and keep those comments and kudos coming!


	8. Feels Like Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan takes a minute to think and Shane is able to think for a minute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooooooooooo so here's the next chapter at 1:14 in the am!!! Can I get a what what for my horrid sleep schedule that got hella effed with this cold T.T
> 
> anyway, once again, thank you all so much for the comments and kudos! They make me so happy and excited every time I see them! This chapter was like, balm on my soul to write like it healed me man and I really hope y'all see why! I hope you guys like it!!

Ryan stares at Shane, stares at the canines pushing past his lips, and shakes his head. “Okay,” he breathes out shakily, looking down and nodding. “Okay,” he repeats, taking another step back. “I’m leaving,” he announces.

“I get it - I-I understand, if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.” Shane shrinks back as if Ryan’s hit him. “You can take my car,” he offers, pointing at the keys sitting on the counter.

“No,” Ryan says. “I’ll figure it out.” He turns around despite not wanting to take his eyes off Shane, and catches sight of a jacket lying on the back of a chair. He grabs it without saying anything, shrugging it on and heading right for the door. He doesn’t hear any movement, and Ryan doesn’t need to turn around to know that Shane is still standing where he was as he finally steps outside.

Instead of coming out into the apartment hallway that he expected, he finds that he’s out on a front porch, and he sees that Shane doesn’t live in some apartment, he lives in a little house in the suburbs.

The realization doesn’t do much at this point as it's less surprising than everything else that he’s found out about within the last 10 minutes, so he just starts walking without turning back.

It's a cool morning, barely past sunrise from what he can tell, and there’s only a handful of people that he can see as they drive past in cars or walk down the street. It’s quiet and calm and everything that Ryan is not, because right now Ryan feels like his whole world has been turned upside down.

So, he starts, shoving his hands in the jacket pockets and bundling in as the breeze whips past. Vampires are real. And so are werewolves.

Great.

He keeps walking, crossing the street and making his way past a bus stop where a few high school teenagers yawn as they wait for the school bus.

Ricky’s a vampire and Shane’s a werewolf. Ricky  _ fed _ on him and Shane -

Ryan frowns, faltering in his step.

Shane got him out of there.

Tears prick the corners of his eyes as it hits him suddenly - Shane has only been trying to protect him. The weird dislike of Ricky, the insistence to go with him so he’s never alone at the library, all of that has just been Shane trying to keep him safe.

He’s at a stoplight, pushing the little pedestrian button so he can cross the busy intersection. “ _ Wait _ ,” it instructs him as he presses it impatiently, “ _ wait _ .”

_ Wait, _ he repeats to himself, because Shane hasn’t just been like this right now, after he finally met Ricky. He’s been taking care of Ryan their whole friendship - making sure he got enough sleep and that he ate and took breaks and reminding him to have  _ fun _ . Shane’s been there with Ryan since they became friends years ago, been there every step of the way as his best friend, balancing Ryan out and supporting him and teasing him and doing everything a best friend does - and then some, he reminds himself.

The gentle teasing and soft looks and lingering touches rush through Ryan’s mind, and he realizes he’s in Shane’s jean jacket, the one with the fleece lining, and it smells like him and it's warm like him and it feels like  _ home _ and as the red hand across the street turns into the small walking man and the people around him begin to cross, Ryan turns around, heading back the way he came.

Even though it's been almost an hour at this point, Ryan is confident he can find his way back. He’d just been walking down the street, no turns taken that could have lost him. It doesn’t take him long to see the now lone bus stop, and he vaguely recognizes some of the houses as he gets closer. He stops in front of what he thinks is Shane’s house, in front of the clean cut lawn and small grey and tan house.

Feeling his resolve grow now that he’s closer, he marches up the porch and opens the door, thankful that Shane hadn’t bothered to close it. He steps inside, finding Shane sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. He turns towards the sound, looking tired and weary, his eyes red rimmed, but they widen when he sees Ryan standing there.

“You didn’t stop being my friend when I was going on and on about ghosts and stuff,” Ryan says, the words coming out in a rush. “So what makes you think that you telling me you’re a werewolf is going to make me stop being your friend?” To prove his point, he walks right up to Shane, sitting down beside him on the couch, leaning into him but looking away. “You’re my best friend, asshole. And best friends stick together.”

Shane is stiff beside him, nervousness radiating off of him. “But I - I’m a werewolf, Ryan, I’m a -”

“If you finish that sentence with ‘monster’ I’ll fucking punch you,” Ryan cut in. “You’re not a monster.”

“I’m dangerous though - I could hurt you,” he continues, shifting where he sits.

Ryan lets out a huff of disagreement. “You’re not dangerous. I’ve been around you alone tons of times - hell, we’ve slept in the same room, in the same  _ bed _ before. If you wanted to hurt me you would have a long time ago.”

“But it's not - I don’t want to hurt you, Ryan,” Shane explained. His voice got tiny, “I’m just - I could. I could hurt you real bad. And now that you know -”

“It changes nothing,” Ryan finishes. “Just because you could hurt me doesn’t mean that you will. You’ve taken plenty of care not to hurt me,” and suddenly the random day or two every month that he disappears without a trace makes sense, “and I trust that that won’t change now that I know.” His voice softens but doesn’t lose it's confidence, “You’re my best friend Shane Madej who also happens to be a werewolf.” He feels his next words catch in his throat but he gets them out. “You’re still  _ my _ Shane. Case closed.”

And in a breath Shane relaxes against him, slumping against the couch and letting his head lean against Ryan’s. “You really mean that?”

Ryan turns to look him in the eye, and he feels almost breathless from how close he is. And of course finding out he’s a werewolf hasn’t changed Ryan’s feelings at all. It’s Shane - there’s nothing that’ll change that. “I do,” Ryan whispers.

Shane looks vulnerable and open and relieved, and when he leans in, his nose bumping against Ryan’s as he closes the distance, Ryan meets him in the middle, and it's soft, oh so soft when they kiss but Ryan feels it knock something into place in his chest.

He smiles against Shane’s lips, feeling light headed from how crazy the last few hours have been. He feels Shane smiling too, and when they pull apart his eyes are bright.

“That’s not how I planned this going down,” Shane admits.

“The kissing me part or the telling me you’re a werewolf part?” Ryan asks, his hands reaching over and taking Shane’s.

“Both,” he shrugs. “For starters, I was hoping to kiss you before the lycanthrope was out of the bag.”

Ryan laughs, leaning into him, happy and giddy and thankful that he can finally do that, finally exist within Shane’s space on purpose rather than on accident. “Didn’t wanna accidentally bite me with those teeth of yours?”

Shane pulls back in mock offense. “I’ll have you know those got put away - those were just to prove my point.”

“That’s good, because I don’t think you’d like this kiss to get bloody - or do werewolves like that too?” Ryan asks, clearly teasing.

“Oh my God, too fucking soon,” Shane groans, letting his head fall against the back of the couch. “You cannot joke about what that asshole did to you, I’ve still got half a mind to go over there and stake him.”

Ryan pulls on Shane’s hands, making him look over at him. “Thank you - for that,” he says honestly. “I don’t know what the hell even happened but - yeah, thanks, Shane.”

“Always here for you, little guy,” Shane smiled, reached up and cupping the side of Ryan’s face, letting his thumb run over his cheek gently. “Hopefully this makes taking care of you a little easier since now you’ll listen to me, hm?”

“Don’t get too confident,” Ryan smirks, easing the moment into something lighter. “Just because vampires and werewolves and ghosts are like,  _ real  _ now -”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, who said anything about ghosts?” Shane asks.

Ryan quirks an eyebrow. “Well, I mean, they’re real too, right?”

“Definitely still a no, Ryan,” Shane shrugs. “I only believe in what I can see, and I’ve seen werewolves and vampires - no ghosts.”

“But,” Ryan huffs out, “C’mon, you  _ can’t _ just deny them outright if you exist.”

“We are 100% mutually exclusive so yes I can definitely exist  _ and  _ outright deny them because they’re not real.” His grin softens. “I told you you weren’t going to get rid of me until I convinced you ghosts weren’t real.”

“So, never?” Ryan asks again, already leaning in.

“Never,” Shane confirms, pulling Ryan close, tasting the smile on his lips and revelling in how easy it was, despite Shane being a werewolf and knowing that vampires were real too, revelling in how easy it was to fall into each other, into the next step that they had been skirting around for so long.

* * *

It's Friday morning when there’s a knock on Ryan’s dorm room door. It's still dark out as he crawls out of bed, opening it up sleepily, but as soon as he sees who it is he’s wide awake.

“Why, hello Ryan,” Ricky smiles. “I got a little worried when you didn’t stop by the library last night.”

“Right,” Ryan nods, but he quickly averts his gaze, remembering what Shane had told him about the day before. “What do you want?”

“Now that sounds a little rude - is it because I’ve woken you up so early in the morning?” Ricky croons. He ducks into Ryan’s view, his eyes flashing, “Or is it because the loyal dog finally told you? Did he tell you about himself too?”

“He did,” Ryan answers, and he looks Ricky in the eye this time. “Shane told me he’s a werewolf and that you’re a vampire. So yeah, I know.”

Ricky seems caught off guard by that, clearly not having expected Shane to confess to Ryan about himself as well. He rallies quickly though. “So, now it's just you then? No monsters to befriend?”

“No monsters,” Ryan agrees. “Just Shane.” And he shuts the door in Ricky’s face.

Except it doesn’t close. Ricky’s holding the door knob, keeping the door opened just a sliver. He can’t push it open because he can’t cross the door’s threshold, but he can hold the doorknob at the edge.

“Don’t get too comfortable, Ryan,” he warns. “Remember who the stronger of the two is. Keep that in mind when you decide who you want to throw your lot in with.”

Ryan doesn’t say anything, just turns around and leans against the door. After another second the door finally slams shut and Ryan bolts it locked before running around his dorm, packing a bag with a few days worth of clothes before he sits down on his bed and waits for sunrise.

* * *

Shane is more than happy when, after their Friday classes, Ryan asks if he can stay at his place over Thanksgiving break. The weekend goes by in a blur of movies and outings and greasy junk food, and as they decide to ditch the few classes they have at the beginning of the week, Shane promptly surprises Ryan for his birthday with the final product of their film project, the polished and beautifully edited film that they had worked on so hard.

Ryan pulls Shane into a tight hug. “When did you even have a chance to work on this?”

“I find my ways,” Shane shrugs as he pulls away. “We were already halfway through with it, I just powered through in my free time to get it all the way done while you were doing homework - you know, as a birthday gift and an apology for keeping,” he gestures to himself sheepishly, “keeping this secret.”

“You didn’t have to apologize for that,” Ryan says softly, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. “But I do accept the birthday gift,” Ryan smiles. “Less work for me.”

“For someone who works yourself to the bone you sure love having time to laze around,” Shane observes.

“After everything this quarter, I think I deserve it,” Ryan says, stepping into Shane’s kitchen and rummaging through the cupboards. “Where do you keep your bowls again? I’m thinking about making some popcorn to watch  _ Pacific Rim _ .”

“Cupboard by the fridge,” Shane calls out as he makes himself comfortable on the couch, pulling up the Domino’s app on his phone and ordering a couple of pizzas for later, when he knows Ryan will be hungry.

He listens to Ryan bustle about in his kitchen, humming some song Shane can’t make out, and Shane can’t help but count his lucky stars. Ryan knows the truth, and here he is. Ryan knows the truth  _ and  _ how he feels and he feels the same way.

When Ryan comes back out, bowl of popcorn in his hands, he doesn’t hesitate to sit beside Shane. They start up the movie, commentary starting up like always, and Shane can’t help but realize that this place has never felt like home until Ryan stormed back in and told him he was there to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they finally kissed y'all T.T and when Ryan says /my/ Shane guys I died I deadass didn't plan for them to kiss this chapter but it happened like I couldn't stop them and once they did it I was like damn i'm soft for them they're soft for each other I can't stop love guys, like when Ryan walked out I was so heartbroken but then he ran back in and Said That and then they kissed and that's love babes
> 
> but also Ricky ...... what's going on there gang (0.0)
> 
> thank you guys so much for taking the time to read this! I hope you guys liked this chapter! Comments and kudos keep the writer wheels churning, especially during finals week! Love you guys tons!


	9. Drunk on You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More information comes to light but they'll deal with that tomorrow. Tonight, its just them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyyyyy so yeah guys we're heading towards the last few chapters of this fic! the boys jumped the gun in the last chapter but hey I had plans that they're not gonna derail, so i'm wrestling this fic back on track!
> 
> I hope you guys like this chapter! Thank you so much for all the love and support guys! It means a ton!

Thanksgiving passes by and they spend it together, making tamales and mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, because Shane was worried that maybe trying to cook turkey for the first time might just get them something inedible and Ryan was craving some Mexican food along with the other Thanksgiving fixings. They invite a few friends, Eugene and Keith and Zach and Ned and Shane’s coworkers, Sara and Kelsey and Steven and Andrew. It's fun and friendly and warm, and when Shane’s friends say they’ve never even been to Shane’s house before Ryan feels special knowing that after letting Ryan in completely that Shane’s willing to open himself up with others - at least a smidge.

The weekend that follows comes through in a blur of Black Friday sales, and on Sunday night Shane and Ryan find themselves at CC’s, wanting to welcome in December with a few drinks before they hit their final week of class and then finals descend upon them.

“Hey, uh, so I mean, I know I told you I finished the project for your birthday,” Shane starts, putting his beer down. “And I mean, I did finish it as a surprise, but I have something else I wanted to give you, I just didn’t have a chance to pick it up.”

“Shane, you didn’t have to get me anything else,” Ryan says, shaking his head fondly. “Just putting in that extra work was more than enough.”

“Consider it early Christmas then,” Shane shrugs, pulling a thin leather cord out of his pocket. “Merry Christmas, Ryan.”

“What’s this?” Ryan asks, taking it from him and examining it curiously. The leather is black and ridged, and Ryan can’t make out whether it feels ridged because it's braided or if it has some kind of design pressed into it.

“You don’t have to or anything, but I was thinking maybe you’d want to get something new,” Shane gets out, nodding towards Ryan, looking at the chain that’s still on his neck. “Y’know, just a thought.”

“This is -,” and Ryan feels at a loss for words. “I mean I hadn’t even remembered, but yeah - yes, I want this off,” Ryan nods, already reaching behind his neck to unclasp the silver chain. He pulls it off, letting it drop onto the bar counter between them, taking his little topaz and threading the leather cord through it. He’s about to put it on, but he hesitates, glancing at Shane. “Could you help me get it on?”

Shane’s eyes warm as he takes the cord from his hands.

“Should I turn around or -” Ryan starts turning as Shane shakes his head.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it,” Shane says, reaching around behind Ryan as he starts to fiddle with the clasp.

His fingers are cold from his beer but his touch is soft, sending chills down Ryan’s spine as Shane leans in close. Ryan could easily just lean forward and close the distance between them, but he doesn’t.

After they kissed for the first time - and the handful of kisses immediately after - they hadn’t really talked about it. Shane had filled him in on the werewolf stuff, and the vampire stuff, and how to best take care of himself. He’d shown Ryan his steel reinforced cellar where he locked himself in once a month when he turned, and he’d shown him the now healing burn from the silver chain Ryan had been wearing. He’d even reminded Ryan about the burn he’d noticed on Shane’s hand the month before, and explained that that had been Ricky too - one of his rings pressing into Shane’s hand when Shane gave him his coffee cup in the stacks when he’d first met him. He’d told Ryan to be careful about how he opens his door so he isn’t welcoming, and about how he should try to dodge Ricky’s eye contact to keep from getting charmed. He’d told him about how he’d gone out and gotten the scarf blessed before he gave it to Ryan because that would deter Ricky at least a bit. He’d told him pretty much everything that could help Ryan stay on top of things.

But they hadn’t talked about the kissing. Sure, they were closer to each other now, a little touchier, no more shying away from each other, but Ryan wanted to know where they stood. He desperately,  _ desperately _ wanted to know, and having Shane so close, just a few inches between them, drove him crazy.

When he realized he’d been staring at Shane’s lips he finally looked up, catching Shane watching him too. He had finished clasping the necklace at that point, but his fingers lingered there, slowly tracing along Ryan’s skin as he sat back, and Ryan leaned in after him, not wanting to put more distance between them.

“Protective runes against vampires? ‘Bout time you got your boyfriend something decent to keep him out of trouble,” CC cut in, coming to wipe down their corner of the bar.

Shane jumped back, his hand dropping to Ryan’s and holding it tightly. “V-Vampires?” Shane got out, huffing out a forced laugh. “What are you talking about, Ceece?”

CC raised an eyebrow at Shane, wringing the wash cloth tightly and making a few drops of water fall to the countertop. He took his finger and swirled the drops together before drawing something on the table and then pressing his palm to it. The rest of the bar suddenly grew quiet, the lights dimming around them.

“What are you -” Ryan squeaks out as Shane stands, already pulling Ryan out of his chair.

“No need for that, wolf. Just a muffling spell,” CC tells them. He motions to their chairs again. “Now we can talk freely, no danger that anyone will overhear us.” He looks at Ryan pointedly. “Talking about investigating disappearances and sounding so sure that they’re connected can be dangerous if listening ears figure things out at the same time you do.”

Shane sits back down, eyeing CC suspiciously. “So. You’re a witch.”

“CC Tinsley at your service,” CC nods. “Oldest witch this side of the Mississippi.”

“The oldest?” Ryan asks, already sounding eager to learn more despite the new revelation. “How old are you? And there’s - there’s more of you?”

“There’s plenty of witches,” CC shrugs, gesturing towards Shane. “I’m sure he knows a handful.”

“I do,” Shane nods, and he can feel Ryan’s eyes on him, curious about the new tidbit. “A friend of mine from a little life style shop down in Hollywood actually carved out the protective runes for me. But that’s about it - I just know a few, and I certainly have never heard of you before.”

Sighing, CC nods. “That’s no accident, I can assure you.” He looks to Ryan. “What you’re looking at is who’s responsible for the disappearances.”

“You’re the reason - are you some kind of serial killer?” Ryan asks, growing pale.

“Not the killer,” CC corrects. “No need to be afraid, I’m not the one hunting down victims every half century.” He drops his eyes to the counter, seeming ashamed. “But I did give the killer a reason to do what he’s done.”

“Can you cut the crap and just explain what the fuck you’re talking about?” Shane growls. “I’m not in the mood for all this suspense. If you’ve got something to tell us then just say it.”

“You’re looking for a vampire,” CC explains, unfazed by the clear threat in Shane’s voice. He nods towards Ryan, “But you already knew that. You’re looking for a vampire that has been around for at least 500 years, but he’s been in Los Angeles since the city’s founding.”

“Wouldn’t we have noticed someone who’s been around for so long?” Ryan got out. He looked from Shane to CC. “I mean, I’m definitely new to all of this stuff, but like, wouldn’t settling be like, hard? To go unnoticed even though you literally don’t age and you’ve been around since, like Shapespeare?”

“That’s very true,” CC agreed. “A key to a vampire’s survival is mobility, not settling any place for too long. But there are magics that can circumvent that, that can shroud them from mass memory and allow them to remain in one place.”

“So this vampire, he’s doing that? He’s using magic?” Shane asked.

CC nodded. “Strong, ancient magic.” He looks down again. “Magic I gave him access to hundreds of years ago.”

“You - so  _ this _ is why you said you’re responsible?” Ryan blurts out. “Because you taught him?”

“I didn’t teach him. I performed the spell for him,” CC admits. “I was young and naive, and we were friends - more than that,” he chokes out. His eyes seem distant then. “Promised that the future would give us more than what we had back then, promised to stay by my side until we could have that.”

“But he lied,” Shane guesses. He knows vampires and their tricks.

“He charmed me,” CC shrugs. “But what can I say - I may be a witch, but I’m still human.”

“If you’re still human though,” Ryan begins, watching CC wearily. “How are you still alive? I mean since you said it was hundreds of years ago?”

“It's a side effect - the vampire fades from memory, and the caster lives forever, and both effects remain as long as the proper sacrifice is made every 50 years,” CC says matter-of-factly.

“The proper sacrifice,” Shane repeats, and his eyes turn to Ryan. “That would be -”

“It would be the heart of a true believer,” CC finishes. “The  _ still beating _ heart of a true believer, devoured by the one who wishes to fade from memory. You can’t be remembered if you’ve consumed the person who believed in you is how the magic works apparently.”

“So that’s why they were all into the occult,” Ryan breathes, turning to Shane. “That’s why they were into it before they went missing! They had to be a believer! Oh my God, I can’t believe that I was actually onto something, I can’t believe -” he cuts himself off, noticing Shane still staring at him. “What?”

“Ryan,” he says softly, gently, as if he’s trying not to scare him - and that’s what makes Ryan’s stomach drop through the floor.

“Oh my God,” he chokes out, the realization slamming his heart into his throat. “Oh my God, I’m the believer.”

“We don’t know that,” Shane counters, but even he seems unsure. “There are plenty of people who believe in this kind of stuff.”

“But, Shane, it’s Ricky,” Ryan rushes out, feeling dread settle in his chest as soon as the words are out of his mouth. “It’s Ricky, he - he fed on me, and now he’s going to come after me -”

“Look, we don’t - Ryan, please, deep breath,” Shane instructs, his hands coming up to Ryan’s shoulders when he could hear Ryan’s breaths coming shallower and shallower, a telltale sign of a panic attack. “Look, Ry, it's probably not him, just -” he turns to CC, “What’s the vampire’s name?”

CC seems momentarily startled to be addressed again. “I - I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Shane asks harshly. “Aren’t you the one who gave him the spell? Weren’t you two like in love or something?”

“I’ve forgotten him like everyone else,” he sighs, looking down at his hands. “The only reason why I know that this is what is happening and that he is still out there is because my magic keeps us tethered - I’m still alive, and I grow no older than my early seventies before the clock reverses and I start over again.” He meets Shane’s gaze. “I’m sorry I cannot be more help.”

“Why are you even telling us all this?” Ryan manages to get out, his hands pressed to his chest to try to keep his heart steady.

“Because for the first time I feel like I can help someone avoid that fate,” CC admits. “I don’t know if he can be stopped - I don’t even know who he is anymore. But I do know that you’re the type of person he would want, so this is just a warning to be careful.” He taps on the counter three times before everything returns to normal, the voices loud and cheerful and the lights almost too bright for their dark conversation. “Can I get you a glass of water?” CC asks Ryan.

“I’m going to need something much stronger than that,” he coughs out, closing his eyes and trying to focus on his breathing.

“Ryan, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Shane says hesitantly.

“We came out to get drinks and have a fun night, man,” Ryan gets out through gritted teeth, finally able to relax beneath Shane’s hands as he opens his eyes to look up at him. “After everything we’ve just heard, I really want that.”

Shane nods after a beat, giving Ryan’s shoulder a squeeze before letting go. “Then let’s get this party started.”

CC puts a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses between them. “All the drinks are on the house tonight.”

“Thanks,” Ryan says quietly, immediately pouring himself a shot and downing it in one go. He pours one out for Shane and holds it out to him, looking at Shane, and Shane can see that there’s fear and anxiety in Ryan’s eyes.

He takes the shot and drinks it. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” Ryan agrees, already pouring himself another shot, and knocking the silver chain to the floor with his free hand.

* * *

When they stumble back to Ryan’s dorm, it's only a little before midnight. They managed to split the bottle and polish it off between themselves, but Ryan wishes he actually felt drunk. He knows that he should and he knows that he probably is, but he’s so scared out of his mind that he knows that’s keeping him sober.

Glancing over at Shane as he fumbles for his keys, Ryan can tell that he’s pretty much right as rain. Probably some sort of werewolf constitution thing.

Finally getting the door open and going inside, Ryan has to think for a second to remind himself why they didn’t just go back to Shane’s - too long an uber trip, and staying on campus only lets them sleep in a little longer before class. It’s the best choice their drunk selves could have made.

They start their practiced dance around each other as they get ready for bed - looking for night clothes, heading out to the dorm bathrooms to give each other time to change while they brushed their teeth and finished cleaning up for the night, and taking out a couple of extra blankets now that it was colder.

When Ryan comes back and he sees Shane sliding out the futon, he says, “We can share?” and they’re both reminded of the last time he offered, last time after they’d been drinking, when they had both been so close, so, so close, but Ricky had managed to get in between them and Shane had gotten burned.

Shane pushes the futon back into place and sits on Ryan’s bed as the room fills with tension.

And maybe Ryan is a little drunk as he dumps his toothbrush in the little cup on his desk to join Shane’s as he crosses over to where Shane is sitting. He comes to stand right in front of him, and when Shane reaches out for him Ryan steps into the open space between Shane’s legs.

“Your shirt doesn’t have a collar or else I would offer to fix it for you,” Shane smiles, once again reminding them of the night a few weeks ago.

Ryan is a little drunk - sober enough from the fear that has plagued him since CC told them everything, but drunk enough to give him courage, to be bold and brave and to lean in and shrug, “You could help me take it off?”

Shane grows pink, his witty retort caught in his throat as he nods quietly, his hands coming to rest on Ryan’s hips. “We’re both kind of drunk,” he breathes out, giving Ryan a chance to change his mind as Shane’s fingers grip the hem of his shirt.

“I know,” Ryan admits. “And if you don’t want to, that’s okay - if you just want to go to bed, we can.” And Ryan isn’t hurt or hesitant when he says it - he’s being genuine and honest, and as long as he has Shane, he’s more than happy.

“But I want to,” Shane rushes out, his hands slipping beneath Ryan’s shirt, fingers splayed against the warm skin there. “I really, really want to.”

They just stare at each other, Shane’s thumbs brushing against Ryan’s sides while Ryan’s hands come up to Shane’s shoulders and then Ryan crosses the divide completely, letting himself fall into Shane as Shane pulls him into his lap.

Ryan’s fingers thread into Shane’s hair as he straddles his lap, and Shane’s hands climb up Ryan’s back, pressing him closer and shoving his shirt up, and they’re kissing and breathless and they only break apart as Shane finally pulls Ryan’s shirt off completely, tossing it to the side.

“Fuck,” Shane whispers, looking up at Ryan, expression reverent and wanting and adoring, and Ryan can’t get enough.

“We can do that,” Ryan grins, ducking down to kiss Shane again and following him as Shane falls back onto the mattress. He tastes like mint but it burns like the whiskey from earlier, warming him up from the inside out, and Shane has always made him feel like this, will always make him feel like this.

Shane pulls back, kissing the bottom of Ryan’s jaw. “I think we should switch,” he pants out, giving Ryan’s shoulder a little push.

“I don’t know, I think I like the view from up here,” Ryan smirks, holding Shane down as he kisses him again. “And I mean, with your thin little arms -”

And suddenly Ryan’s against the pillows, blinking up at Shane. “Right where I want you,” Shane smiles, ducking down to kiss Ryan’s surprised face. “And these thin little arms? I’m a werewolf, Ryan. I’m much stronger than I seem,” and that sends a thrill through Ryan, a spark that stokes the growing flame he feels in his belly. “I’ve just been letting you hold me down and push me around.”

“Jesus Christ,” Ryan whispers, his hands coming to rest on Shane’s arms, on the insane strength he can only imagine those muscles hold. “Your shirt, off,” Ryan gets out, tugging on Shane’s sleeve.

Shane sits back and pulls it off quickly, barely giving Ryan a chance to finally look to his heart’s content before Shane is descending upon him, kissing down Ryan’s neck. “I want these gone,” Shane mouths against his skin, and Ryan knows he’s talking about the fading bruises against his neck from Ricky.

“Are you going to tell me that the only hickeys you want on me are yours?” Ryan says breathlessly, trying to keep from rolling his hips against Shane and showing him just how badly he wants him.

“First of all, those weren’t hickey’s,” Shane corrects, because of course even when they’re making out and tearing each other’s clothes off Shane has to get the facts straight. “But, I mean, yeah. Only hickeys on you will be the ones from me.”

“That sounds awfully possessive of you,” Ryan pants out when he feels Shane start to do good on that promise. “Is that a werewolf thing or a Shane thing?”

Shane pulls away, looking down at Ryan with bright eyes. “Definitely a Shane thing,” he answers. He kisses Ryan again, just a quick peck, before saying, “I’ll explain the werewolf thing some other time.”

“There’s a werewolf thi-” but Shane promptly kisses the question out of Ryan’s mind, and Ryan can’t help but chase after his lips.

* * *

“So, are we -” Ryan starts, suddenly nervous as they lie in his bed some time later once they’ve finally settled down. His head’s on Shane’s chest, and Shane’s drawing lazy circles against Ryan’s back.

“Are you asking what we are?” Shane asks, his hand stilling.

“Yes?” Ryan squeaks out, suddenly sitting up. “I mean, if you just want to be friends -”

“Ryan, please, I -” and now Shane sounds nervous as he sits up too. “I mean, I was hoping we could,” he slowly takes Ryan’s hand in his. “I was hoping we could, I don’t know - I-I kind of thought we were already, but -”

“Already what?” Ryan asks, looking at him, hoping that he was going to say what Ryan thinks he might say.

“I kind of thought we were already dating?” Shane gets out, growing pale. “But I never said anything - and, and you never said anything, so I mean I’m probably reading into things -”

And Ryan’s laughing, falling against Shane again and taking him down onto the pillows. “Shane, we just made out for like an hour and I’ve got hickeys all over my chest and you think you’re reading into this? It’s taking me everything I’ve got to keep it in my pants, man.”

Shane wraps his arms around Ryan, smiling happily. “So, does that mean you want to have a werewolf boyfriend?”

Ryan rolls his eyes, letting his head drop against Shane’s shoulder. “Why did you have to phrase it like that?”

“Is that a…?” Shane continues, giving Ryan a little squeeze.

“It’s a yes,” Ryan smiles, peeking over at Shane. “I’d really like that.”

“Good,” Shane hums, kissing Ryan sweetly before resuming in the gentle swirls against Ryan’s back.

They fall into a comfortable silence, and Ryan’s started to nod off when Shane promises, “I’m going to keep you safe.”

“Hm?” Ryan asks sleepily. “What are you talking about?”

Shane kisses the top of his head. “Nothing, Ry. Just talking to myself.”

“Okay,” Ryan nods against him, his head tucked up in the crook of his neck. “‘Night, Shane,” Ryan mumbles, snuggling up closer to him.

“Good night, Ryan,” Shane answers, holding him tight, his promise a blanket that settles around them as they finally drift off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so yeah the boys are now official T.T this scene was so hard because like i've never written smut and I was like oh shit is this gonna turn into smut but things settled down into being all soft and sweet just the way I like best, so #crisis averted for me bc I don't know how to write smut!
> 
> ugh but Shane being all protective and that little possessive streak like that's the Good Shit gang T.T
> 
> but yeeeah how do y'all feel about the info CC Tinsley dropped? What's that gonna lead us to ;)
> 
> anyway, thank you so much for reading! I really hope you guys liked this chapter! Comments and kudos keep me smiling!


	10. Finals and Finality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finals descend upon them and the boys gotta split for a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyyyy yoooooo
> 
> so once again, thanks so much for all the support! I'll never get tired of being thankful for all the comments and kudos this has gotten, so thank you to each and every one of you who has given this fic some time!!
> 
> I really hope you guys like this next chapter!

After their dreaded talk about the mystery vampire - which Ryan was convinced was Ricky but which Shane was hesitant to side on that matter one way or another - the next day, they both decided that it would be best for them to just stick together until break hit and Ryan could go home for the holidays. It was frustrating to think that some other poor soul would fall victim to him, but they honestly had nothing to work off of, and it was too dangerous to get any closer than they had already gotten. Reluctantly, Ryan agreed to put the case and all it's hanging threads behind them, much to Shane’s relief, and then they hit the ground running as the quarter pushed them into hell week.

The last week of classes go by in a blur of final assignment deadlines and last minute study sessions, and while turning in their finished video project feels great, when finals roll around Shane and Ryan are basically dead on their feet. It doesn’t help when Shane solemnly reminds Ryan on Tuesday that he was going to be gone again Thursday night.

“You’re leaving?” Ryan asks, putting his textbook down. “Is it the full moon?”

Shane nods, looking away. “Yeah, it’s - yeah.” He shrugs, clicking his pen against his leg nervously. “I don’t want to, but I can’t stick around when it's out.”

Ryan stands up from his desk, going over to sit beside Shane where he’s spread out all of his study things on his bed. “You’ll be okay though, right?”

“Of course,” Shane answers, reaching over and taking Ryan’s hand, relaxing when Ryan doesn’t pull away. He looks at him, giving him a half hearted smile. “I’m just really tired afterwards.”

“You’ll be done with all your finals by then, right?”

Shane rolls his eyes, flopping down on Ryan’s bed. “And of course you’re gonna worry about my finals. Yes, I’ll be done with them.”

Ryan punches his thigh lightly. “I’m just - I’m not  _ just _ worried about your finals, asshole, and you know it.” He gets a little quieter, “I was just trying to make sure, so I could help you come up with an excuse for your professors or something.”

“Oh, are you willing to lie for little ol’ me?” Shane smiles, glancing over at Ryan.

“It wouldn’t be a lie,” Ryan huffs, thinking for a second before adding, “More like just a reskin of the truth.”

“So instead of ‘my boyfriend’s a werewolf and last night was a full moon’ you would say ‘my boyfriend ate some really bad sushi and he won’t be able to make it today’?” Shane guesses.

“Not -” Ryan starts laughing, shaking his head. “Not exactly what I’d say, but if I was a professor I’d let that slide.”

“Well, we won’t have to try and come up with any sort of excuse. My last final’s Thursday, so I’ll be able to take it before I head out in the afternoon,” Shane tells him.

Ryan nods, then says, “My last final’s Thursday, too.”

“You heading home after?” Shane asks, and while it's an innocent question Ryan can tell that it's loaded.

“I want to see you before I leave. So I’ll wait,” he answers honestly. “Do you have any plans for break?”

Shane shakes his head. “Aside from just taking it easy since classes will be out? No, nothing planned.”

Nervousness fluttering in his stomach, Ryan decides that it's the perfect time to ask what had been on his mind since Thanksgiving. “Do you think you’d want to come spend break with me?”

“You mean with your family?” Shane sits up slowly, not wanting to misinterpret or miss anything.

“Yeah?” Ryan gets out. “If you’re not busy or anything, I’d like it if you could come home with me.”

The smile that lit up Shane’s face made the nervousness Ryan was feeling vanish. He pulled Ryan into a tight hug, pressing kisses all over his face. “I’d love to, Ryan! That sounds like so much fun!”

“Good, good, I’m glad,” Ryan laughs, giving Shane a proper kiss before patting him on the arm. “Okay, well, now that that’s settled, I think we should get back to studying.”

“I think we’re afforded a study break,” Shane argues, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously.

Although Ryan knows what Shane is referring to, he decides to play dense. “I don’t know...I can’t think of anything we can do that would warrant an actual study break.”

Shane rolls his eyes, muttering, “For fucks sake,” before he drags Ryan down onto the bed, kissing him senseless as his hands start to inch up Ryan’s shirt. “Does this warrant a break?”

“Yes,” Ryan squeaks out, already breathless, as Shane ducks down again, swallowing his moans as his hands explore Ryan’s body while Ryan eagerly starts to unbutton Shane’s flannel.

* * *

“I’ll be back as soon as the moon’s gone, even if it's just to knock out on your bed while you pack up and we blow this joint for break,” Shane promises. He’s standing outside of Ryan’s dorm, the afternoon sun shining through Ryan’s open window, only lightly obscured by the slow falling snow that has decided to make itself known in LA. Fucking climate change.

Ryan nods. “I know.”

He looks small in Shane’s hoodie, and Shane wishes he could wrap him up and just snuggle under the covers with him. But time is of the essence, and with the early settling darkness Shane has to make sure he’s locked up before the moon’s out. He’s had some close calls, fighting off the transformation for a good 30 minutes after the moon has come out when there’s been heavy cloud cover, but he doesn’t want to risk that, especially not with Ryan.

“Eugene’s on his way, right?” Shane asks.

“Yeah, he’s just got a little coffee date or something, then he’ll be right over,” Ryan tells him. Eugene is their little compromise - someone who will keep Ryan company and who will hopefully ward away any stray dangers that may be bold enough to get to Ryan when he’s alone.

“Alrighty, good,” Shane nods, his fingers tapping on his leg nervously. “Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.”

Ryan takes his hand, threading their fingers together. “Shane, I’ll be fine.”

“I -” Shane sighs, pulling Ryan to him in a tight hug. “I don’t want to think about the alternative.”

“Then don’t,” Ryan says simply. “I’ll be right here when you come back after your rough night, and we’ll take a nap and then we’ll head out and you’ll meet my family and we’ll have lots of good food.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Shane hums. He gives Ryan a kiss on the forehead. “I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he assures him. He wants to say more, but he feels like it may be too soon. Maybe, he thinks, maybe over the holidays…

Ryan derails his train of thought when he gets on his tippy toes and kisses him. “Please stay safe.”

“You’re saying that to me?” Shane smiles, giving Ryan another peck. “You’re my fragile little human, I should be the one saying that to you all the time - especially with your track record.”

Rolling his eyes, Ryan takes a reluctant step away from Shane. “I’ll stay safe,” he promises. “Now, please, just text me when you get home, and then tomorrow as soon as you’re good again.”

“Roger that,” Shane salutes, and he ducks down to steal one last kiss from Ryan simply because he can. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” Ryan nods.

“Don’t let anyone else into your room!” he reminds Ryan as he starts walking down the hall.

“I won’t, unless it's you,” Ryan calls out to him, giving him one last wave before closing his door, and leaving Shane to square his shoulders and face the cold moon on his own.

* * *

It’s been almost an hour since the sun has set when Ryan’s phone chimes with a text.

**Gene: on my way up**

Ryan only replies with a thumbs up emoji, going back to staring at his window at the still falling snow as he looks for the moon. He isn’t sure if he should be relieved that he hasn’t seen it yet, or if that’s just wishful thinking for what he knows will inevitably happen to Shane.

After about ten minutes there’s a knock on Ryan’s door.

“You have the key, Eugene,” Ryan sighs, putting his phone in Shane’s hoodie pocket. “You can just come in, you know.”

The door opens quietly and Ryan turns towards his friend with a smile, “So, how was the date?”

“Much better than I expected, actually. Just absolutely  _ killer _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ryan and Shane are so fucking soft my heart is literally a pile of melting goo T.T
> 
> anyway, poor Shane's really out there about to deal with the full moon all by himself, smh that sounds lonely as fuck but also like its just one night, right? but ugh Shane being so worried about leaving Ryan like that shit gets me in my heart man like fuck he's so gone for this boy
> 
> okay gang, so just to let y'all know, I'll be back on Thursday night with the next chapter, I've gotta take a couple study days since its finals week but worry not because I will be writing the whole time! Only two more chapters left! I really hope you guys liked this chapter and I will see you Thursday! Comments and kudos are always more than welcome (especially right now in finals week to get me through T.T)


	11. High Moon and Blood Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane's turning and Ryan's running out of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyyy babes I'm back! This chapter was super fucking intense to write so TRIGGER WARNING PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE: so, violence and blood ahead, just so you guys can know in case its not your cup of tea, so please proceed with caution. I just want you guys to all enjoy yourselves as you read, so just be careful loves!
> 
> but yeah i'm super fucking excited for this chapter and now that the sun's set and its nice and dark out its the perfect time to publish! Thank you all so much for the comments and kudos and all the love this has gotten, and also for all the well wishes for my finals! I really hope you guys like this chapter!

Shane drags a couple of turkeys down to his basement, leaving them in the corner where he always does. They were dead, but they were fresh, and while he knows that sooner or later the little butcher 3 blocks down will put two and two together and ask questions about why all the fresh meat on nights of the full moon, as long as there weren’t any questions now Shane’s golden. And while it's best to get a chance to actually hunt something out in the woods, he hasn’t exactly had a chance to schedule a camping trip.

His nose twitches at the smell of blood, but he just shakes the feeling off. He’ll be able to let himself go once he turns, no need to speed up the process by taking a bite now.

Trudging up his basement stairs, he gives his little garage one last look around. He’s always hated this part, when he finally locks himself up. It makes him feel more like an animal than he already feels, but he knows the familiar itch at the base of his skull and the hum beneath his skin means it's almost time.

“It’s just a night,” he says to himself, stepping down and shutting the door. He’s starting to lock up when his phone starts vibrating in his pocket. Probably Ryan finally getting back to him after he’d texted that he was home, calling to wish him luck or to tell him to be careful or something. He’s sweet like that, and definitely a big enough worrier that no matter how much Shane has assured him that he’s been down this road before, Ryan will still fret over him.

Thinking about it makes Shane all warm and fuzzy.

He answers the phone without looking, holding it up as he continues with the dozens of deadbolts and keyholes. “Hellooo,” he sings out.

“Jesus, man, at least I was able to get a hold of you.” It’s Eugene.

Shane pauses on the third lock. “What’s up?”

“Well, Ryan’s not answering his phone but it's whatever, I get that you two are like hanging out and stuff,” Eugene huffs. “But tell him that I’m gonna chew him out when I see him. If you two were going out on a romantic night at the park he could have told me - and I mean I get why you guys would want to go out tonight what with all the snow and stuff that’s hit LA for the first time in like, forever -”

He says other things about snow and the cold snap and climate change, but all Shane can hear in his head is “Ryan’s not answering” and “night out at the park.”

“- tell him I locked up for him, too, alright? I’m also gonna get him in trouble about that, it's not safe to just leave your door wide open like that.” He sighs, his mild annoyance bleeding out of his voice. “It’s been a weird night, so I got a little worried when Ryan wasn’t answering.”

“What park?” Shane chokes out.

“Huh?”

“Eugene, what -” and Shane’s started unlocking the deadbolts, throwing the door open as he hunts down his car keys. “What park?”

“Griffith, towards the canyon,” Eugene answers. “Why? Shane, is everything -”

“I have to go,” Shane says, ending the call as he runs out to his car. Forty-five minutes. That’s how long he knows it’ll take to get there. Forty-five minutes. He glances up at the night sky, and it's thankfully covered in clouds.

The hum beneath his skin gets louder, but it’s quiet compared to his heart threatening to pound out of his chest. Forty-five minutes. He jams the key in the ignition. 

He’ll make it in twenty.

* * *

Ryan blearily opens his eyes, feeling cold and fuzzy around the edges. He sits up - or tries to - before falling back onto the ground with a groan.

“Finally awake, dear?”

Hearing that voice snaps everything into focus. Ryan looks around, frantically trying to find him, seeing trees and snow and darkness. He tries to talk but chokes on his words as he realizes that he’s been gagged, and when he tries to move his arms to take the gag off he can’t. They’d been tied down to his sides.

“Now, now, don’t start struggling and getting all worked up, we wouldn’t want you to have a heart attack after all the trouble I’ve gone through to get you,” Ricky scolds lightly, coming into Ryan’s line of sight and looming over him. “Hello, Ryan.”

Struggling to keep breathing through his panic, Ryan reminds himself that Ricky couldn’t touch him. Not while he was wearing the necklace Shane had gotten him.

Ricky smiles down at him, cocking his head to the side. “Good boy. Your heartbeat doesn’t sound as erratic anymore.” Ryan glares up at him, trying to put as much hatred into the look as possible. It only makes Ricky laugh.

“I’ve got to say though, Ryan,” he starts, running a finger along Ryan’s cheek. Ryan’s heart sinks in his chest, almost stopping altogether. “Your neckwear keeps getting all kinds of upgrades. First, a blessed scarf, then my little silver necklace, and now one that has runes about vampirism,” he fingers the necklace, tugging on the leather. His expression grows patronizingly apologetic. “Too bad it doesn’t do anything when  _ you _ wear it.”

When he sees Ryan’s eyes widen, Ricky sits down beside him with a dramatic flourish. “Isn’t it just some kind of luck that all it takes is one little rune being flipped and it changes the whole warding spell?” He tugs on the necklace again, turning it slowly around Ryan’s neck as he points it out to him. “Instead of reading ‘protect me from the undead that would feast on blood’, all it took was for one of those runes to be a little off for it to read ‘protect me from _my_ _undeath_ that would feast on blood’.”

He pats Ryan on the cheek affectionately. “What you’ve got here, Ryan, is a spell that weakens a vampire. But I’ve got to be wearing it for it to work.” He wraps his fingers around the small clasp of the necklace, pulling it off. “So you won’t be needing this.” He tosses the necklace off to the side, off into the darkness. His grin returns, and Ryan can see the fangs starting to grow. “Now you look  _ much _ more appetizing.”

Ryan struggles again, moving about a centimeter away before Ricky grabs onto neck of the hoodie, his fingers also curling around the neck of his t-shirt. He pulls the fabric to the side, exposing Ryan’s collar bones, then moves it to the other side as Ricky’s eyes roam over his skin.

The grin that grows on Ricky’s face is every inch as predatory as those fangs that are starting to poke out.

“No love bites from your wolf?” Ricky cooes, letting go of the fabric and letting it fall back into place. “I can’t say I’m not surprised - but I am  _ definitely _ glad they’re not there.” He looks up at the sky, and Ryan knows he’s looking for the moon. “Guess the beast won’t even know - but I mean, I was kind of hoping he had bit you. The little marks werewolves give their mates,” he spits the word out despite how gleeful he sounds, “that empathic bond would have let him feel your death. I know that would have been absolute torture for him to feel.” Ricky shrugs, “But I guess this just works out better, because since he won’t feel a thing while he’s going feral somewhere, there won’t be any interruptions tonight.”

Ricky climbs onto Ryan, straddling him. Ryan tries to kick him off only to realize that his legs are tied down too.

“You know,” Ricky continues. “I really did almost consider keeping you around, dear. You were fascinating and so full of life and wonder and,” he leans in, burying his face in the crook of Ryan’s neck and taking a deep breath as Ryan’s sob catches in his throat when he feels Ricky’s fangs brush against his skin, “and, God, you just smell like sunny places. Makes me wish I had gotten to you before Shane did.” He sits up again, patting Ryan on the chest, right above his thundering heart, “I could have found someone else for the sacrifice, but after I saw you with the wolf - and then you threw your lot in with  _ him _ \- well, I wasn’t going to let that go unpunished.”

The hand on Ryan’s chest presses down, and the nails, usually immaculately trimmed, turn black and grow, sharp and deadly, into claws. Ricky’s other hand rips the rope around Ryan’s middle, and when Ryan starts to push him off, he easily grabs both of Ryan’s wrists, holding them over his head and pressing them into the snow without any trouble at all.

“I think it’ll be a lot more fun to feel you squirm,” he explains. “Just know that you would have made a lovely blood bag,” Ricky compliments, his claws starting to dig in a little. “But I think I’ll still be gaining a blood bag after this - Eugene is a very handsome man, and when he’s mourning his friend and a charming strangers offers to be his shoulder to cry on,” Ricky trails off with a shrug. His face is suddenly right in front of Ryan’s, and his eyes are glowing red, the murderous intent there clear as day. “He won’t even recognize me from our coffee date since I’ll be gone from everyone’s memories. So, thank you, Ryan.”

And then the claws tear through the fabric and pierce skin, and Ryan screams, the sound muffled by the gag but loud enough to make Ricky laugh.

* * *

It's only a little after 6 by the time Shane pulls into the parking lot of the observatory. There are still a handful of cars around, with people having fun out in the snow on the park grounds. He hopes that all the people that are out stay near the observatory proper, because he knows things will get dangerous really fast where he’s going.

He steps out of his car, and he’s glad for his heightened senses tonight because he can smell Ryan - and while it's faint, it's there, and it’ll let Shane track him. He glances up nervously, so glad for the stubborn cloud cover, but even now he can see that there is a gap between the clouds, the moonlight falling through and bathing whatever is beneath in it's silvery hue.

Shane knows he has minutes, and for once feels like he’s leaning into the wolf, embracing what he’s been given, because now that he’s close to turning he knows he can push himself harder than he would have been able to any other night.

Following the scent through a mess of footprints, he finds a pair that break off, towards the tree line. His blood boils, knowing that they’re Ricky’s and that he’s got Ryan, and the hum beneath his skin starts to tense, ready to spring into action as he begins running for the trees.

* * *

Ryan knows that Ricky could easily tear his heart out, but Ricky’s enjoying himself too much to rush things, and is instead burying his claws in torturously slowly into Ryan’s chest, delighting in how Ryan writhes beneath him.

The tears running down Ryan’s face fall hot onto the snow and Ryan’s struggling to breathe and scared out of his fucking mind because he had  _ one job _ don’t let anyone into his room and now he was going to fucking die.

He was going to fucking die, right here and now, devoured by the librarian that turned out to be a vampire. God, he knows that if he were to tell Shane with that phrasing, Shane would probably laugh.

Shane, who was going to wake up in the morning and text him good morning, only to never hear back from him. Shane, who was going to find out his boyfriend got murdered in the woods but was never going to know why or by who because he was going to forget because of the spell that Ryan was the key ingredient for.

Ryan scrunches his eyes shut tightly, choking back his cries of pain.

It's quiet where they’re at, only the whistle of the wind between the trees and the muffled sobs and weak shuffling around as Ryan struggles. Ricky’s deathly silent now, his eyes on Ryan’s chest as the blood begins to stain Shane’s hoodie.

Everything is still around them - then it shatters.

“Ryan!” someone shouts, and Ryan sobs harder because he  _ knows _ that voice, would know it anytime and any place.

Ricky’s head whips over and he hisses through his fangs as Shane breaks through the trees, not stopping until he’s tackled Ricky off Ryan, falling to a struggle in the snow to his left.

Gasping in relief when he feels the pressure in his chest disappear, Ryan sits up, quickly removing his gag and then untying the ropes at his feet. He pulls himself to stand as Shane and Ricky are clawing and snapping at each other, and Ryan’s rising hopes evaporate when he sees that Shane’s bleeding from a wound in his stomach.

That does nothing to stop Shane as he jumps to his feet, grabbing Ricky by the shoulders and lifting him up like he weighs nothing, ramming him up against a tree. He pulls back, breathing heavily as Ricky stays there, a branch protruding through the center of his chest.

Ricky’s staring down at it with wide eyes.

“You should have never fucking touched Ryan,” Shane growls.

The shocked expression on Ricky’s face drops when he turns back to Shane. “I give you props for even doing this much,” Ricky starts, “and while this would work on  _ most _ vampires, I haven’t been around this long just to let some twig be the end of me.”

Shane shakes his head, stepping towards Ricky before he doubles over, his hands coming up to hold the sides of his head.

“And would you look at that,” Ricky grins, snapping the branch and dropping to the ground. “Looks like the moon’s here.”

“Ry-Ryan,” Shane gasps, falling to his hands and knees. “Ryan, run.”

“But,” Ryan wants to argue, even as he sees Shane grow in size and he can see the way the hands on his head turn to deadly claws, even as he hears the snapping of bones that meant that Shane’s whole body was rearranging itself.

“Run!” Shane growls, his voice distorted.

Ricky looks down on Shane with disappointment. “If only I could charm a beast,” he quips before kicking Shane in the face.

Shane’s head snaps to the side, but it wasn’t Shane anymore. The maw opens with a snarl as the wolf’s yellow eyes focus on his surroundings, and Ryan’s heart stops when they zone in on him.

* * *

The snow feels new and cool against his feverish skin, the cold barely getting through his fur, nothing like the concrete and steel that he had grown used to. It feels nice, refreshing,  _ good _ to be able to stretch his muscles after having stayed cooped up for so long.

There’s the smell of blood in the air and it makes his mouth water, and the heartbeat nearby sounds frightened and loud, the promise of a good hunt.

When was the last time he hunted? He can’t even remember the last time he was even able to see the moon.

The heartbeat is getting away.

He turns towards the sound, and he has a very vague memory of hunting animals before, but nothing like this. This smells new.

This smells delicious.

Throwing his head back, he howls at the moon, then he breaks off into a sprint through the trees.

* * *

Ryan isn’t sure how he’s been able to avoid Shane for so long. He’s hiding up in the trees, and he’s so glad that he’s never gotten lazy about his work outs or he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to climb at all - and he’s also so glad that Shane is part wolf and not part bear.

Shane prowls around below, frustrated and frenzied, shaking the tree before taking off into the woods before returning again. The snow makes the branches slick where he’s holding them, but he’s been able to manage so far. He’s holding on with one hand and pressing the heel of his other hand to his chest, putting pressure on the claw wounds. Right now, all he wants to do is make it to the sunrise - make it to the sunrise and outlast the bleeding from his chest.

“Wouldn’t it be such a damn tragedy if your wolf kills you?” Ricky calls out.

Every now and again he hears Ricky taunting them, making quips and commentary. Ryan hasn’t responded to any of them, and while he knows that the werewolf can tear him to pieces, Ricky is the real monster here. As long as Ryan stays near Shane, Ricky will keep his distance.

The tree shakes as the werewolf tries to climb it again only to fall in frustration. He’s too heavy, and the tree’s steadily growing slicker and harder to hold onto.

“If I don’t get to kill you, I’m glad that Shane will - just imagine how heartbreaking it’ll be,” Ricky continues.

Ryan holds his breath, holding on tightly as he feels the tree start shaking again. The branch he’s clinging to dips, and Ryan looks over to see Ricky crouching down beside him with a wide grin.

“Hello, Ryan,” Ricky breathes.

* * *

The sound of breaking branches and a scream make him back away from the base of the tree, just far enough so that what falls doesn’t collapse on him.

There’s a weak groan as the heartbeat rattles and hiccups from the fall, but he knows it's what he’s been chasing.

He lets out a low growl, crouching down onto all fours to get on it's level.

“Shane,” it squeaks out, weak and injured and bloody. “Shane, it’s me, buddy. It’s Ryan.”

The sounds mean nothing as he prowls forward, the saliva dripping hot onto the snow as he clicks his maw in anticipation.

“Please, Shane,” it continues, the heartbeat pressing itself against the tree. “It’s Ryan. Shane, please. It’s me.”

From this close up the smell of blood is intoxicating, driving him nearly mad as the heartbeat quickens to an impossible speed.

“No, please, Shane - Shane!” it shouts, holding its arms out as he rears back with a snarl. “Shane!”

_ Sh...ane _ , the sound makes its way through his brain sluggishly.  _ Shane _ ...and then it hits him. That’s his name.  _ Shane’s _ his name.

And that’s Ryan, cowering beneath him, his eyes closing tight so he can’t see what’ll come next.

The thoughts break through right as his jaws clamp shut.

* * *

Ryan’s scream chokes out in his throat when the werewolf snaps at his shoulder, his hands buried in the thick fur of his neck, but instead of feeling pain he feels a slight tug, as the werewolf pulls on the hood of the hoodie, pulling it over Ryan’s shoulder and pressing it against his chest.

He opens his eyes slowly, hesitantly, and when Ryan looks at the werewolf he expects to see his yellow eyes but instead they’re Shane’s brown eyes, the pupils huge and dilated and every inch the literal definition of puppy eyes. Even though he’s not saying anything, Ryan knows he’s trying to stop the blood from pouring out of Ryan too.

Shane presses his muzzle closer to Ryan, and Ryan shakily brings up a hand to pet Shane, smearing him in blood. He wants to apologize but he knows he shouldn’t, knows that they should make it seem like Shane has killed him.

To his credit, Shane seems to think of the same thing as he huffs out a small breath that warms Ryan’s face. Shane closes his eyes for a second, just long enough that the both of them hear something drop to the ground behind Shane.

Letting out a low growl, Shane clicks his jaws together, pushing Ryan down and smearing blood all over his maw and on the snow for good measure to make things convincing before he pulls himself up to turn to Ricky.

“You’re really going to hate yourself in the morning,” Ricky smirks.

There’s a heartbeat of silence where the only movement is the wind in the trees before Shane pounces.

Ricky dodges with ease, laughing and gloating and congratulating Shane on a job well done. “I should go, and, you know, find another target and get it over with,” Ricky announces, “but first I think I’ll kill you, just because I can.” He sidesteps around Shane when he tries to rake him with his claws, and instead manages to bury his own claws into Shane’s side, making a deep gouge in his abdomen.

Ryan’s holding deathly still as they continue to fight, but it's a losing battle - Ricky’s much faster than Shane, managing to dance around him and strike whenever there’s an opening, and there’s blood all over the snow, bright scarlet against the pale white, and it makes Ryan close his eyes and look away when Ricky finally brings Shane to the ground.

“But what I think I’ll do is break your bones and leave you here til sunrise,” Ricky muses. “It can’t be more than a few minutes now - and I can just stay and hide in the shade so when you turn back, you’ll see what you’ve done to little Ryan.” Even though he’s not looking, Ryan can just imagine Ricky’s predatory grin when he says, “Then I’ll kill you, so you can die knowing you killed him.”

Turning away, Ryan curls in on himself, feeling weak and useless and terrified, when he feels something poke his face. Opening his eyes he sees his little topaz sticking out of the snow, and Ryan gets an idea.

“You’ll probably be begging me to kill you at that point,” Ricky continues, stepping back to avoid Shane’s weak swipe at him. “You’ll just be -”

“Do you ever stop fucking talking?” Ryan shouts, catching Ricky off guard as he jumps onto his back, wrestling the leather necklace onto him and clasping it around his neck.

“Ryan, what -” Ricky starts, before he staggers back, his claws retracting and the glow in his eyes diminishing. “What did you do?” he growls.

“I got lucky,” he weakly answers as Shane snaps at Ricky, catching him in the side when he was too slow to dodge out of the way.

Shane tears his head back, breaking a part of Ricky off. Ricky falls back, scrambling to his feet as he begins to run, all the while trying to tear the leather off his neck.

Letting out a howl Shane charges, tackling him to the ground and tripping them over a fallen tree, impaling Ricky on the mess of branches there.

Ricky gasps, his hands coming to the stake that’s impaled him through his stomach, but before he gets a chance to say anything Shane’s jaws clamp around his throat and tear his head off, the skin breaking like glass between his teeth.

Ryan weakly makes his way over to Shane, falling into the snow a dozen feet away, the adrenaline leaving him in a breath of relief.

Shane turns to Ryan, limping over to him as the sun crests over the horizon. The vampire’s body sizzles in the sunlight, falling apart into dust.

By the time Shane collapses beside Ryan he’s back to his old self, dropping down and taking a hold of one of Ryan’s hands. “I love you,” Shane gets out, and his voice wrecked, wrecked for Ryan as shakily holds himself up to look at him.

Ryan pulls him down and kisses him, kisses him because he can and because it's over and because they’ll be okay now. Because they’re safe and alive and he loves him too. When they pull apart, he gives Shane a teasing smile. “You really have to tell me about the werewolf thing now.”

Shane drops his head to Ryan’s shoulder as he breaks into laughter, and Ryan wraps his arms around Shane to hold him close.

And even though it's cold and there’s blood everywhere, Ryan’s never felt warmer than when Shane wrapped his arms around him too, with the morning sun falling on them like a soothing blanket over their exhausted bodies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just had that scene planned out where Shane collapses next to Ryan from the very very beginning like I wanted him to have his voice just be wrecked when he finally told Ryan he loved him like I NEEDED that and now that I got to write it and put it up I am complete T.T
> 
> but ugh honestly that shit was nervewracking just having Shane almost tear into Ryan that was hard man I had to write it from Shane's POV because if I wrote it from Ryan's that would have just been too hard but yeah having Shane realize it was Ryan through his frenzy felt so fucking satisfying
> 
> and heyy that topaz really was a good luck charm after all! Ricky needed to be knocked down a peg before he got taken down and that certainly did the trick
> 
> also, there's one more chapter after this that will be a sweet epilogue to heal us after this hard chapter, and I'm so excited about that one too! That one will probably get published by Saturday at the latest because tomorrow is my last final and I'm also heading home for the holidays so I'll write my last chapter when I'm home!
> 
> I really hope you guys liked this chapter! Comments and kudos give me life and will carry me into this last final and on my way home! Thanks for reading loves!


	12. A Matched Set

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The soft epilogue, three years later, with a pair of flashbacks in between.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO so here I am like 10 minutes to midnight but I said saturday and it is still technically saturday!!
> 
> Thank you guys so so so so so so much to everyone who's read this and commented and left kudos! Like God, I love you guys so much you guys have all been so sweet and encouraging and it only made me all that more enthusiastic about writing so I'll never be able to thank you all enough for being so welcoming and sweet and for engaging so much with my writing!
> 
> I really hope you guys like this chapter because like it's sweet and gooey and mushy and just what the boys need after eeeeverything in the last couple chapters T.T

“Our last question of today’s Postmortem comes from twitter and it comes from Fahilo writes -”

“Fitting name, they did write a question,” Shane nods in appreciation.

Ryan rolls his eyes, continuing without missing a beat, “‘I know you guys have mentioned having met in college, but is there anything specific that led to you both working on Unsolved? A spooky experience perhaps? Or do you both just love the thrill of a good old fashioned ghost hunt? Hashtag Boogara for life, Hashtag Love you too Shane’.”

As soon as Ryan finishes reading, he shoots Shane a questioning look. Shane knows what he’s asking, but he merely shrugs, turning to TJ instead.

“I thought the viewers would like to know, so I just kind of threw it in at the end,” TJ answers sheepishly, recognizing the looks on their faces as well. “Bit of a Christmas present for the fans.”

Ryan nods, looking down at the question on his phone again as his brow knits together while he’s thinking about what to say. Shane reaches over beneath the table and gives his knee a gentle squeeze, shooting Ryan a small smile when he glances over.

“Well, we were sitting in film theory, and Ryan just turns to me with the biggest puppy dog eyes, and just begs me to be his project partner -” Shane starts.

“Wait a mi - _you’re_ one to talk about puppy dog eyes!” Ryan splutters but Shane only smiles wider as he tells them the abridged version about the film theory project that brought them closer, telling them all about their perfect grade - “We got a B+, Shane” - and the late nights at the library, but keeping the full story to themselves, their little secret, and Shane knows the full story will only ever be for them when Ryan covers Shane’s hand with his own and threads their fingers together.

* * *

By the time everything in the office had wrapped up, night had fallen, and since it was a Friday and their last day of work before they took a few days off for the holidays, Shane and Ryan decided to head over to CC’s for a few drinks, just to kick off their well deserved breaks. And although CC had quietly passed away a few months ago with the spell’s effects finally wearing off, the place was still like home to them - it was their little safe spot away from home, and they knew it would always be that way.

They find a small corner booth, settling down with two beers to take things slowly. No need to rush when they were together, enjoying each other’s company. They sit down right next to each other, no need for space between them that they were always yearning to close - especially now that it’d been so long since they’d even had a reason to have space between them in the first place.

“What if I told you,” Shane says, halfway through his beer, “that I got us exclusive passes to the opening night of Christmas in Hell at Universal Studios that you’ve been wanting to go to?”

Ryan puts his beer down slowly, the easy smile on his face widening. “I’d say I want to marry you.”

Shane can’t help the blush that rises up his neck. “Good to know,” he finally gets out, as Ryan starts to laugh.

“Oh my God, man, the look on your face,” he giggles. “You’re pink!”

“I’m not,” Shane denies, feeling the heat in his face flare up even more.

“You’re - God, you’re adorable,” Ryan manages to get out between breaths of laughter. “I didn’t know the idea of marrying me was that bad.”

“Ry - you, you _know_ I don’t think it’s bad,” Shane shoots back quickly, and Ryan’s laughter softens until it’s just his sweet smile.

“I know,” he answers, the word spoken like a promise. They’d talked about it tons of times over the past three years - tons and tons and tons of times, and they both knew where they stood.

They’d be more than thrilled to take that step.

The moment settles around them, pushing them closer, and Shane leans in, close enough that Ryan’s eyes start to slip shut before Shane whispers, “But sometimes knowing that you believe in ghosts makes me second guess.”

“Hey!” Ryan huffs, giving him a glare without any heat and playfully smacking him on the arm. “And here I was thinking you were being all sweet and blushy.”

“I was not blushy,” Shane quips back, getting up from their booth. “But I am sweet - do you want me to bring you back something? I’m honestly feeling a little snackish, might get some fries.”

“Fries sound good,” Ryan nods, and Shane ducks down quickly, stealing a kiss from Ryan, his hand on Ryan’s shoulder to steady himself.

“Look who’s all blushy now,” Shame says with a wink, pulling away from Ryan and giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, right over his mark.

Ryan watches him go, his hand subconsciously reaching up to brush over the spot Shane had touched, feeling the warmth of his hand seeping through to his skin even past the layers of clothes, blossoming inside him from the silver half crescents of the canines.

It’d been almost a year and a half since Shane had marked him - the “werewolf thing” finally coming around. It had taken lots of explaining to make sure Ryan was 100% on board because Shane was so absolutely nervous about the whole thing.

“So, it’ll keep me safe, basically?” Ryan had asked again one night when he was in Shane’s arms, following up the conversation that they had already had in one form or another so many times before even though Ryan already knew all the answers.

Shane had nodded. “Yeah, I’ll be able to feel when you’re upset or scared or in danger, so it’ll mean I’m always there to keep you safe.” He gathers up Ryan in his arms a little tighter. “And when I turn, if you have my mark, you’re not in any danger because I’ll always know it's you, you’ll be my -”

“Your mate,” Ryan finished.

“Y-yeah,” Shane answered, turning to look at the ceiling, almost as if he were ashamed.

Ryan had nuzzled up to Shane, giving him a small kiss beneath his chin. “When we got together I knew what I was getting myself into - a werewolf boyfriend, and everything that came with that, Shane.”

“Okay,” Shane said shakily, swallowing hard, before he pulled away from Ryan to sit up. “This is just - it’s one of those -” he stopped himself, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath before looking at Ryan again. “It’s just that, after I mark you, that’s it for me, Ryan. I’m yours.” He took Ryan’s hand in his, and Ryan had been so surprised to feel him shaking. “It’s an unbreakable bond for me. This is marriage level - there’s no level of commitment higher than this for a werewolf.”

Slowly, Ryan sat up, still holding onto Shane. “Do you want that?” he’d asked.

“More than anything,” Shane had answered, without any hesitation. “You’re it for me, Ryan.” He looked away, his other hand coming up to rub at the back of his neck. “Just, really think about it, okay?”

Ryan tugged on Shane’s hand gently until Shane was looking at him again. “I’ve thought about it since you first even mentioned it - even before I knew everything it meant, I knew deep down that I want this. And now, knowing exactly what it means -” He had taken Shane’s other hand, holding them both between his. “I love you, Shane - I’ve loved you for a while, and if you telling me you’re a werewolf back before we even got together didn’t change the love I feel for you, nothing will.” Ryan closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Shane’s for a second before pulling back. “I want this.”

He only gave Ryan a second before Shane sprang forward, tackling Ryan in a giant hug and kissing him all over. “I love you so much,” Shane said between kisses, their hands starting to roam as they started tugging on each other’s clothes. “So, so much, Ryan.”

“And they say romance is dead,” Ryan grinned into the kiss, before he let out a breathy moan when he felt Shane’s hand dip beneath the waistband of his boxers.

Shane’s whispered “I love you”s and Ryan’s pretty noises filled the space of Shane’s room - _their_ room, taking them over the edge as Shane finally marked Ryan, Shane’s teeth breaking the skin of Ryan’s shoulder as he finally, _finally_ made Ryan his, feeling Ryan fall apart and shake and whimper his name as Shane felt himself crash into Ryan, settling into his warmth, the warmth of _his_ mate, the one person in the whole universe Shane was eternally bound to.

“Whatcha thinking about there, buddy?” Shane asks, setting two beers and a large order of cheesy fries on the table.

Ryan blinks himself out of the memory, and he knows his face is warm when he coughs out a simple, “Nothing.” He takes a fry, popping it into his mouth to give himself time to change the subject before he raises an eyebrow at Shane. “So, when am I getting my good luck charm back?”

“Oh, c’mon, Ry - I’ve only had it for a month,” Shane pouts. “It’s going to be a great surprise.”

“I know,” Ryan sighs, slumping against Shane’s side dramatically. “I just miss having it.”

Shane feels a little bad for Ryan, but the feeling evaporates when he says, “I know you like to mess around and play with it and stuff, but in the meantime you can play with me.”

Ryan sits up straight almost immediately, red and flustered and most definitely blushy as he whisper-scolds, “Shane, how can you just _say_ that out loud!”

“With my mouth,” Shane answers easily. “Although I could be using it for other things. Want me to show you?” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“ _Shane!_ ” Ryan scolds, turning a brighter shade of pink.

“Yeah, baby, say my name,” Shane teases, reaching over and gently running his thumb over Ryan’s blushing cheek. It's warm and soft, like sunshine, and Shane can’t look away.

Still flustered and blushing furiously, Ryan turns away, catching sight of the small ghost tattoo on Shane’s wrist that peeks out from beneath the sleeve of his flannel. “Better keep that covered up,” Ryan starts, figuring this is a way he can tease Shane right back, “or someone might think you _actually_ believe in ghosts.”

It’s bait that Shane doesn’t rise to. Instead, he rolls up his sleeve, showing off the cute little ghost. “You mean this little guy right here?” Shane points up at him, as if surprised it's even there. “I may not believe in ghosts, but I believe in my ghoulfriend, and since he’s already got something of mine,” he reaches over, his fingers trailing over the spot on Ryan’s shoulder where his mark is, gently, reverently, and that same warmth seeps it's way through into Ryan’s skin, “I wanted to get something for him. A Boogara!”

“You’re such a dork,” Ryan smiles, grabbing his arm and pulling him down into a kiss.

But it was the truth - a week after Shane had marked Ryan, Shane had come home and showed Ryan the little ghost he’d gotten for him. “He was cute, and you’re cute, and now we match!” he’d announced.

And even though Ryan pulls away and says, “I can’t believe you called me your ghoulfriend,” the memory makes Ryan smile wider.

“I’m your dork, though,” Shane grins, kissing Ryan again. They settle into more teasing and conversation, plans for the winter hiatus and for the holidays getting thrown around as they finish their fries.

Shane’s glad Ryan didn’t press more about his good luck charm - but now the little box with the tiny topaz inlaid in platinum that he had tucked away in his pocket felt like it was on fire. He’d been planning on asking for ages, but tonight felt perfect - there’s a nice little park a few streets down that’s all decked out in Christmas lights, and he knows Ryan will love it.

* * *

The trees are lit up, bathing everything in a soft glow as they walk beneath the branches laden with lights. Ryan’s wearing Shane’s jacket, just like always, and it's comfortable and fun and sweet - and when Shane gets onto one knee, Ryan rolls his eyes, thinking it's some kind of height joke.

When Shane pulls a small box out of his pocket and pops the question, however, Ryan can’t say yes fast enough as he tackles him to the ground, punctuating his answer with a kiss that lights Shane up like a Christmas tree - and when Shane smiles against his lips and kisses him back, Ryan knows that he can’t wait for what the future has in store for them, as long as they stay like this, Shane and Ryan, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you SO MUCH for reading! This has been a wild ride and I'm so glad to have taken you all along for the journey!
> 
> the flashbacks had me fucking soft guys like when Shane finally marks Ryan and then the little ghost like bruh that shit killed me killed me like I love them so much T.T
> 
> and now, to answer a few lingering questions that may remain: Ryan and Shane got all patched up by CC the next day after the whole Ricky situation (like our man's a witch he's got this in the bag), and after the magic faded CC was able to continue to age until he finally passed on peacefully and happy to have finally be able to move on instead of being trapped in that age reversal loop; Shane and Ryan finally had the "werewolf thing" conversation and they got it all nice and settled and they (obviously!) got engaged and the wedding was beautiful and everyone was invited and it was great
> 
> and as for my future involvement in writing for the boys, I have a few cards up my sleeve, but I will leave that in the air for 2020, so we'll see what the new year (and the new decade) brings!
> 
> (and who knows and I might even come back to this Werewolf!Shane universe, and maybe write out a little side piece that really explores what happened after the sun rose that Friday morning and then what how exactly the werewolf thing and the mark happened ;) and the little tattoo thing too, and maybe even the wedding - but no promises loves, just a little thing I might eventually come back around to!)
> 
> Thank you all so much again, by the way! I really hope you guys liked this chapter and this whole fic! Let me know what you guys think, and if you guys have any other questions or you just want to yell and scream at me just drop on in the comments and/or leave kudos! They make me so so so happy! I really hope to see you all again soon!


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